Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchison93, 94 and 95. asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) why members of the W.A.A.F. belonging to certain trades, who are in Groups 59 and 60, have had their release dates postponed;
(2) why arrangements have not been made to train more recruits for the R.A.F. so as to enable members of the W.A.A.F. who have been serving since 1944 to be released;
(3) whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists on the slow rate of release of members of the W.A.A.F., many of whom have been serving since before the end of hostilities; and what steps he proposes to take to speed up the release of these women.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThere has been no postponement in the date of release of members of the W.A.A.F. in Groups 59 and 60. It was announced towards the end of March that we hope to release these two groups between July and September and this is still our intention. We are, of course, training all the recruits we can get for the R.A.F. but in any case those members of the W.A.A.F. who have been serving since 1944, and who do not wish to stay on, will be released before the end of the year. I am informed that no complaints about the rate of release have been received from members of the W.A.A.F. for several months.