§ Mr. Gledhillasked the Secretary of State for Air why young men, after being attested, are returned home on deferred service; and whether he will take steps to curtail this waste of man-power?
§ Sir A. SinclairThere are, at present, a very small number of recruits for ground duties on deferred service, and this number is rapidly disappearing. Requirements of men for training necessarily vary from time to time for operational and other reasons. In order to ensure that maximum use is made of available training facilities, candidates who have been selected as suitable for aircrew are placed on deferred service. Normally they remain in civilian employment, Many require to take courses to bring them up to the educational standard to which aircrew entrants in the R.A.F. training organisation must attain. The question of using the waiting period to the greatest advantage is a matter for arrangement with the Minister of Labour and National Service.