Captain BALFOURasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that a Royal Air Force officer on 1411W the married establishment posted to a Royal Air Force station at Malta is entitled to a Government pass-age for his wife and family, whereas a similarly placed Royal Air Force officer posted to an aircraft carrier, based on Malta, is not entitled to a passage for his family; and if he will state the reasons for this and consider its removal by placing those officers posted to aircraft carriers on the same basis as officers posted to land stations at the same locality?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the reason for the difference of treatment is that the tour of duty in an aircraft carrier is of shorter duration than that at the land stations abroad, including Malta, to which passages for officers' wives and families are allowed. My Noble Friend regrets, therefore, that he is unable to adopt the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion.