§ Major Marloweasked the Minister of Aircraft Production whether he is aware that Captain B. T. Monier-Williams passed the necessary flying test for training as a pilot in Air Transport Auxiliary in February, 1941; was told by the chief instructor that he would be required to report as soon as it was possible to provide him with the requisite training; that this ex-officer has exceptional qualifications, including experience in all three Services and in civilian flying; why, as vacancies exist, he has not yet been required to report; and upon what grounds, as he is eligible so far as age and physical fitness are concerned, he has recently been informed that he is considered unsuitable when older men of lower medical grade have been accepted?
§ Colonel LlewellinThe answers to the first two parts of the Question are Yes, Sir. In regard to the third, the report on the gentleman referred to contained the comment that he had done no flying since the last war and would require complete training on modern types of aircraft. In the light of recent experience the age limit for entry into the A.T.A. for anyone who lacks experience in modern types has been fixed at 32, and I regret that it is therefore impossible to admit a man who was born in 1892. I should, however, like to express my appreciation of Captain Monier-Williams' keenness so patriotically to wish to undertake this important duty.