Mr. Vaneasked the Secretary of State for Air why radar fitters are being employed on stations where there is no radar equipment as wireless tradesmen when the wireless trade will be released up to Group 68 at the end of March and the radar trade will only have reached Group 61; and what steps he will take to remedy this lag in radar release.
§ Mr. A. HendersonThere is at present a greater shortage of wireless fitters than radar fitters in the R.A.F. and, as a temporary arrangement, a number of radar fitters are being employed in wireless trades. This arrangement is due to cease at the end of this month. During January both trades are being released in Group 59, but as there are far fewer wireless fitters than radar fitters in later groups, it will therefore be possible to release nine groups of wireless fitters in February and March compared with only 159W two groups of radar fitters; the actual numbers released in these two months will be 70 wireless fitters and 701 radar fitters. For the measures that are being taken to improve the release of retarded trades, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 21st January to my hon. Friend the Member for North Edinburgh (Mr. Willis).