§ Mr. ROY BIRDasked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the competition by selection for permanent pensionable posts which it is proposed to hold in the near future in the Deputy-Director of Aeronautical Inspection and the Deputy-Director of Training Departments of the Air Ministry, he will give an assurance that no non-Service men will be established in any grade if by so doing any ex-Service men in that grade is left unestablished?
§ Sir S. HOAREI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on the 20th May. As I then stated, preference will be given to ex-service men, but I cannot prejudge the result of competition by selection among a number of individuals.