§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the need for teachers in the national schools, he will give an assurance that schoolteachers, now serving as school masters, R.N., H.Q., will be given the same immediate opportunities of Class B release as teachers serving in other branches of the Services; and that the rate of demobilisation of schoolmasters, R.N., H.Q., will be accelerated to compare favourably with other categories of naval 2062W officers, inasmuch as the naval forecast of the release of officers shows the naval schoolmasters' demobilisation rate is to be slower than that of other branches.
Mr. AlexanderI fully appreciate the need for the return of Schoolmasters to teaching, but block release under Class B is not normally offered to Schoolmasters R.N. The reason for this is that they are employed in the duties of their normal profession whilst serving in the Royal Navy, and will return to that profession on demobilisation. They are therefore released in Class A in order of age and service groups. The only exceptions are specialists who have been nominated for posts outside the general teaching profession for which they have special qualifications. So far five instructor officers and one schoolmaster R.N. have been released on these grounds. The heavy burden of responsibility which has fallen on the Naval Educational Service in implementing the Educational and Vocational Training Scheme has placed the Schoolmaster Branch at some disadvantage in the matter of release, but I can assure the hon. Member that this disparity will be evened up as soon as circumstances permit.
§ Mrs. Middletonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the first operative date for calculating length of service, under the age plus service scheme, for demobilisation of men who have been serving in naval canteen establishments under N.A.A.F.I. since the year 1939.
Mr. AlexanderThe operative date for this purpose is that on which the men were drafted afloat or overseas since 3rd September, 1939. Previous service in the Armed Forces, the Merchant Navy or the Air Transport Service is allowed to reckon.