§ Sir P. Macdonaldasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why, in some branches of the R.A.F., demobilisation for the men has been carried out up to and including group 16, whereas demobilisation has only been carried out to group 12 for officers; and when it is proposed to rectify this anomaly.
§ Mr. StracheyI think the hon. Member has the catering trade in mind—catering officers are being released up to Group 12 and airmen cooks up to Group 16 during September. Such temporary unevenness in the rate of release between different ranks within a trade which are not interchangeable are for the time being unavoidable. But they can and will be evened out, largely by means of retraining.