asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the urgent need for increased production, he will revise the Relaxation of Customs Agreement (1939) so as to offer to tradesmen of trainee origin in the Royal Air Force Maintenance Units the incentive that, if properly qualified, they can earn full merit pay.

The scale of merit pay applicable to dilutees is not governed by the Relaxation of Customs Agreement but by an agreement reached on the Engineering Trades Joint Council for Government Establishments. It can only be varied by agreement with the union concerned and preliminary talks with them on the subject are taking place.