§ 17. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Air why the ratio of general officers or equivalent to total strength of the Royal Air Force has risen from 1: 2,492 to 1: 1,380 in the last 10 years; and what is his policy in this regard.
§ Mr. AmeryThe number of senior officers is determined by the responsibilities of the Royal Air Force rather than its total size.
Although the force has decreased in size over the past 10 years, new operational and technical developments have, if anything, added to the responsibilities at the higher levels.
There is also a continuing requirement for senior officers to serve in inter-Service and international appointments.
My aim is to keep the number of high ranking posts to the minimum and they are kept under review to that end.
§ 18. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Air why the ratio of officers to other ranks in the Royal Air Force has risen from 1: 8.8 to 1: 5.3 in the last 10 years; and what is his policy in this regard.
§ Mr. AmeryThe ratio of officers to airmen has risen mainly because of the growing complexity of aircraft and equipment and the need to maintain our forces at a high state of readiness.
57WIt has also been affected by an increase in the number of aircrew officers, by the substitution of civilians for airmen and the transfer of Service tasks to civil contract.