14.
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what representations he has received from the airways corporations or the charter companies that the requirements for the new first-class civil R/T and W/T licence are so strict that difficulty is being experienced in engaging sufficient men with this qualification to meet all demands.
I have received no representations in the sense indicated. I should perhaps add that a small number of radio operators were recently granted a short extension of their old type licences to enable them to complete their examinations for the new licence.
Will the Minister re-examine the qualifications required for the new licence? My information is that only about one-third of the number of radio operators who held the previous licence have been able to qualify for the new one.
I was looking at the qualifications this morning. If the hon. Gentleman, who has some experience in these matters, can tell me which of the requirements he thinks is unnecessarily high I shall be glad to look into the matter again.