§ Wing-Commander R. Robinsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of accountant officers in the R.A.F. whose release is delayed on account of shortage of manpower in this section; and why, in these circumstances, accountant clerks who have passed a pre-commissioning course are informed that this branch is now closed.
§ Mr. StracheyI can quite understand the natural disappointment of members of the Royal Air Force whose release is delayed. In the present circumstances, however, we should only add to our difficulties in speeding up release for airmen in the accounting trades if we commissioned some of them to help out the accounting officers. Moreover, we have general duties officers already available who are being trained for accounting work. There are no airmen waiting to be commissioned who have been specifically trained as accountant officers.
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§ Flight-Lieutenant Parkinasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if there is now any retention beyond normal re lease groups of R.A.F. service police
§ Mr. StracheyI regret to say that there is a heavy deficiency in this trade, even though the establishment is progressively going down. We have just issued our forecast of accelerated releases up to the end of April, and this shows that Royal Air Force Service Police will be three groups behind the general level of release for airmen during March and April. We are pressing on as fast as possible with training to reduce delays in this and other trades, but as I have told the House be fore now, the faster we go the more difficult it is to achieve a perfectly even release rate for all trades.
§ Mr. Hicksasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of releases from the R.A.F. for the months of December, 1945, and January, 1946, respectively, excluding releases under Class B and on compassionate grounds, together with the number of releases under the latest action promulgation to be made during the month of February, 1946, excluding releases under Class B and on compassionate grounds.
§ Mr. StracheyAs my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour stated in the House on 22nd January, 61,372 men and women were released from the Royal Air Force in Class A in December, 1945. So far as January, 1946, is concerned, I must ask my hon. Friend to await the next monthly return for all three Services which will be published shortly. In the February promulgation we have offered release in Class A to about 40,000 men and women. The reduction in February balances the 27,456 released or discharged in excess of our programme to the end of 1945 and the releases beyond schedule in January. Though there are bound to be some variations from month to month, we have just been able to announce that in most trades, release will go up to group 35 for airmen and group 45 for airwomen by the end of June. This release rate will certainly represent substantial monthly figures.
§ Mr. E. Fletcherasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction felt at the R.A.F. Station, Drigh Road, Karachi; and to what extent men are being held back from demobilisation in anticipation of 116W trouble during the forthcoming elections in India.
§ Mr. StracheyRepresentations in the form of a petition addressed to the Prime Minister, which raises questions concerning the rate of release, have been received from a number of airmen at this station. The petition is now under consideration. Release promulgations are of equal application both at home and overseas, and these men are certainly not being held back from demobilisation.