§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Secretary of State for War if, of the five aeroplanes nominally available for the use of the new air battalion, one is a wreck and two are obsolete; and whether it is intended to equip the battalion with new machines of a modern type?
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§ Mr. HALDANEThe machine which was wrecked has been repaired and is now serviceable. Two machines are not up-to-date and the improvement of one of them is under consideration. Both, however, are available for instruction. The provision of additional machines of modern type is in hand.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the reasons for the age, weight, and rank limits imposed in connection with the new air battalion and the restriction of members to men with not less than two years' service; and whether he will take steps to secure that those regulations will not rule out young men possessing special qualifications?
§ Mr. HALDANEIt is clearly desirable that officers should not have to learn the rudiments of military training after joining the air battalion, and for this reason a minimum of two years' service has been fixed. It is also clearly desirable that an officer joining should be young, not too heavy, and of rank junior to those under whose orders he will serve. Officers having special qualifications can be specially considered if they do not in all respects comply with the conditions.