§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether part-time men of the older military age (forty-one to fifty-one) serving in the Royal Naval Air Service searchlight aircraft defence of London have been discharged to make way for young men classified for general service and enrolled in the regular Air Force; if so, how many of such replacements have taken place and in pursuance of what Order or other authority of the Ministry; and, if so, why it is necessary to appoint eight full-time men to do searchlight work hitherto performed by four, or at most five, half-time men of the older class?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have been asked to answer this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not therefore arise. As regards the last part of the question, in no case have eight full-time men been appointed to do work hitherto performed by four or five half-time men.