Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchisonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the adverse effect of the climatic conditions in the Far East on older men, he will endeavour to arrange for the repatriation of all airmen over 40 years of age who have served in the S.E.A.C. for 12 months or more.
§ Mr. StracheyI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on 17th October to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. C. S. Taylor). I would add that continued service overseas is subject to medical fitness and that we realise the importance of reducing the tour of duty; we have made a start with that, but transport will be the bottleneck so long as the release scheme is at its height.