§ Sir R. THOMASasked the Secretary of State for Air what provision, if any, is made for the civil employment, at the close of their period of service, of junior Royal Air Force officers who have held short service commissions; and whether, seeing that the civil aircraft industry is inadequate to absorb more than a fraction of them, and that consequently many of them are unemployed with their specialised knowledge wasted, he will consider what action he can take in the matter.
§ Sir S. HOAREAs I stated in the Debates on the Air Estimates on 12th and 20th March last, a small special organisation, which is worked in connection with the Royal Air Force Educational Service and is based on the lines of the Universities Appointments Boards, has been set up for the purpose of assisting short service officers to obtain suitable appointments when they leave the Service. The results so far achieved indicate that, apart from posts in connection 721W with aviation, there are a number of openings in industry and commerce for which the experience gained in the Air Force in initiative, power of command, savoir faire, organisation, and knowledge of life and work overseas provides a valuable training, when combined with the educational facilities of which an officer may take advantage while still in the Service.