Mr. BAKERasked the Secretary of State for Air the duties of the recruiting staff of the Air Force during 1926, employed at a cost of £11,500, seeing that there has been a reduction in the number of aircraftsmen from 22,800 to 20,525, 1669W and that it is proposed that the maximum number of officers and other ranks in 1927 shall be 33,000 (including Army personnel attached to the Royal Air Force), as opposed to 35,500 in 1926 (exclusive of any personnel attached to the Royal Air Force); and what is the reason for the proposed expenditure of £8,000 on recruiting in the year 1927?
§ Sir S. HOAREAs regards the first part of the question, the figure of £11,500 should be considerably underspent as a result of savings already made. As regards the duties performed by the staff in question, recruiting duties have still to be performed for the Royal Air Force, notwithstanding the reduction in the number of aircraftsmen provided for in Vote A. Deficiencies have to be made good in particular trades, vacancies have to be filled even if the numbers are less, and the recruiting programme so far as it relates to entrants requiring training is framed necessarily with regard to the future; as the hon. Member will see from the explanation in my Memorandum accompanying the Air Estimates the reduction in Vote A is likely to be a temporary one.