§ Mr. Callaghanasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the average length of service before promotion of instructor 54W lieutenants, ex-schoolmaster, and instructor lieutenants, short service, respectively.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasThere are two grades of instructor officers; the first is selected from candidates with 1st or 2nd class honours degrees, whose members are distinguished by (†) after their rank and called "dagger" officers; the second consists of those with 3rd class honours or pass degrees or adequate qualifications in teaching, who are known as "non-dagger" officers.
The average seniority and length of service before promotion to lieutenant commander is as follows:
Origin Average seniority as instructor lieutenant, on promotion to lieutenant commander Average length of service on promotion to lieutenant commander (years) (years) Ex-schoolmasters (mainly "non-dagger" officers) 11 21 Other "non-dagger" officers 8 9 'Dagger" officers 8 6 Instructor lieutenants, other than the ex-schoolmasters, who are promoted to lieutenant commander are almost exclusively short service instructor officers who have entered the Branch since the reorganisation in July, 1946, and have subsequently been given permanent commissions. Short service officers as such do not normally serve long enough to be promoted to lieutenant commander
§ Mr. Callaghanasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many instructor lieutenants, short service, have been promoted over the heads of instructor lieutenants, ex-schoolmaster, of greater seniority but fitted for promotion.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasSeventy; fifty-two of these instructor lieutenants were "dagger" officers.