§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence, for each of the last five years, how many serving RAF personnel have sought premature voluntary retirement; what proportion this has represented each year of total serving personnel; and how many of these requests, both in total and as a percentage, have 887W been (a) accepted and implemented; (b) deferred; and (c) rejected for each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Wellbeloved,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st March 1978; Vol. 945, c. 283–4], gave the following information:
I can now confirm that the present rules by which officers may apply for premature release from the active list will continue but, in those branches where there are manning restrictions, it will be the policy to allow officers normally to be released from the Service on PVR terms after the maximum waiting period of three years, provided that by the end of the waiting period they have given sufficient service to amortise their training costs. This policy will be kept under review. For airmen eligible to apply for premature voluntary release, the normal maximum waiting period will remain unchanged at 18 months.