§ Sir E. Erringtonasked the Secretary of State for Air how many Royal Air Force officers over the normal retiring age are still employed; and how many of those officers are in the Education Branch.
§ Mr. BirchThere are 465 officers serving in the Royal Air Force who are above the normal retiring age of their rank and branch; 21 of them are in the Education Branch.
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§ Sir E. Erringtonasked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking to deal with the block in promotions in the Royal Air Force Education Branch due to the change in 1946 of this branch from a civilian to uniformed branch.
§ Mr. BirchI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackley (Mr. E. Johnson) on 30th May.
§ Mr. Dudley Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Air how many squadron leaders in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force were promoted wing commander between 1st January, 1955, and 1st May, 1956; what was their average length of service; and how many can continue to serve until they are 60 years of age.
§ Mr. BirchSeven squadron leaders were promoted to the substantive rank of wing commander during this period. Their average length of service was between 18 and 19 years. All of them can continue to serve until they are 60.
§ Mr. Dudley Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Air the present establishment of wing commanders in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force; and how many of the officers now serving in that rank can continue to serve until they have reached the age of 60 years.
§ Mr. BirchThere are 42 wing commanders at present serving in the Education Branch of whom 41 can continue to serve until they are 60.
§ Mr. Langford-Holtasked the Secretary of State for Air if he will extend the system of two-yearly increments of pay for squadron leaders in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force for a longer period than that at present in force in order to compensate them for the lack of prospects of promotion to wing commander.
§ Mr. BirchNo. As I explained to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackley (Mr. J. Johnson), in the reply I gave him on 30th May, we hope to be able to maintain a reasonable rate of promotion from squadron leader to wing commander in this branch.
§ Mr. Langford-Holtasked the Secretary of State for Air what increases of pay are given to officers of the rank of squadron leader in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force and after how many years in that rank is the maximum rate of pay reached.
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§ Mr. BirchThe incremental scale of basic pay for squadron leaders in the Education Branch is as follows:
Daily Rate s. d. On appointment 58 0 After 1 year 60 0 After 2 years 62 0 After 3 years 64 0 After 4 years 66 0 After 6 years 68 0 After 8 years 70 0
§ Mr. E. Johnsonasked the secretary oar State for Air how many squadron leaders in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force have been promoted to wing commander since 1950, although they were over the normal retiring age for squadron leaders.
§ Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Air what steps were taken to inform officers who joined the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force after 1946, when they applied for permanent commissions, that promotion prospects were not altogether normal because of the fact that there were a number of officers serving who had transferred from the civilian Royal Air Force Education Service and would not have to retire until they had reached the age of 60.
§ Mr. BirchNone. Such action would have been called for only if there were a danger that the reserved rights of certain officers might prevent a reasonable rate of promotion to the ranks above squadron leader.
§ Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Air whether the Committee appointed to consider the problems of career planning in the Royal Air Force has completed its review, especially in regard to the prospects of promotion of officers in the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.