§ Mr. SUGDENasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why Mr. F. E. Cowlin and Mr. J. H. Robertson, non-service men employed at the Air Ministry, have been declared unsubstitutable by the Joint Substitution Board; what are their precise qualifications; how many candidates, if any, have been submitted by the Joint Substitution Board for their posts; how were the candidates interviewed at the Air Ministry; whether he is satisfied that the candidates put forward were in fact unsuitable; and whether, in view of the large numbers of technical ex-service men now available, he will give instructions that further candidates be submitted for these posts?
Mr. YOUNGThe qualifications required for the post held by Mr. Cowling, who is an Honours graduate, are a high degree of mathematical knowledge and experience in calculating stress and strain work of aeroplanes. During a period of six months the Joint Substitution Board submitted three candidates for the post, none of whom were found suitable. The officer of the Air Ministry responsible for reporting on their qualifications was a senior officer, himself a disabled overseas ex-service man. In view of the fact that suitable candidates were not forth-1788W coming over this long period, the Joint Substitution Board informed the Air Ministry that they would not press for the substitution of the officer in question. Mr. Robertson, the facts of whose case are similar, tendered his resignation on the 31st December last to take effect on the 31st instant. It is not proposed to fill the vacancy so caused. On the general points raised in the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 9th instant by the Secretary of State for Air to a similar question by the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Carr).
§ Mr. RAPERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why Mr. A. E. Hayward, Mr. H. B. Howard, Mr. J. S. Andrew, Mr. C. E. R. Osman, Mr. Ireland, and Mr. W. Launchberry, non-service men employed at the Air Ministry, have been declared unsubstitutable by the Joint Substitution Board: what are their precise qualifications; how many candidates, if any, have been submitted by the Joint Substitution Board for their posts; how were these candidates interviewed at the Air Ministry; whether he is satisfied that the candidates put forward were in fact unsuitable; and whether, in view of the larger numbers of technical ex-service men now available, he will give instructions that further candidates be submitted for these posts?
Mr. YOUNGAs regards the second and third parts of the question, fully qualified aeronautical engineers with a detailed and specialised knowledge of the design of particular types or parts of aeroplanes are required for the posts held by these officers. For the whole of the six posts, the Joint Substitution Board were able to submit eight candidates only over a period of many months. With regard to the other parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by me to-day to the hon. Member for Royton and the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air on the 9th instant to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Carr).