§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Air, seeing that it is stated in the advertisements issued by the Air Ministry for apprentices in the Royal Air Force that a certain number of commissions will be granted to suitable candidates each year, if he will give the number of commissions granted to non-commissioned ranks of the Royal Air Force each year since its formation; and how many of these commissions were given to non-commissioned officer pilots?
§ Sir S. HOAREAircraft apprentices have a double opportunity of obtaining a commission. A certain number are selected every half year for cadetehips at the Royal Air Force Cadet College, Cranwell, whence they are granted commissions on the successful completion of the ordinary two years' course at the college. The number of cadetships granted since this system came into force has been:
1922 2 1923 7 1924 7 1925 11 1926 10 1927 (to date) 4 In addition, the commissioned ranks have now been opened to selected airmen pilots and three of such direct commissions were given in 1926 and five (to date) in 1927.