§ Mr. Willisasked the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions have been reached from his studies of introducing the rate of warrant officer into the Royal Navy.
§ Dr. David OwenIt has been decided that a new rate of warrant officer shall be created. It will be the highest level in the rating structure, both for male ratings and for Wrens. The ratings concerned will be known as fleet chiefs; e.g. Fleet Chief Engineering Mechanic.
Members of the new rate will be employed principally on managerial tasks in billets now held by chief petty officers where the duties are of a particularly high standard; and they are likely to have to accept yet higher and wider responsibilities. They will serve for five years longer than the 22 years from age 18 which is the normal maximum for ratings.
Warrant officer will be an important and exclusive rate, available only to the very best ratings. Advancement to it will be decided by selection boards, on the basis of service records.
405WSufficient reports have to be obtained on potential candidates to provide a sound basis for selection. As soon as these reports are available selection boards will begin. The first fleet chiefs will probably be appearing in the Fleet before mid-1971.