asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the complaints being received by their relatives from airmen in Siam woth regard to lack of food, soap and boots; that many had not been paid any money for at least five weeks; and what steps are being taken to remove the legitimate grievances of these airmen.

I am making inquiries, and will communicate with the hon. and gallant Member as soon as we hear from the command.

In the meanwhile, while these inquiries are being made, does the Minister realise that these complaints are widespread in Siam, and that these airmen, when I got the letter, had not had pay for five weeks, and that they were short of much of the most essential things?

I would like to say, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, that 22 Questions on yesterday's Order Paper were addressed to us, a great many of them involving inquiries in Siam and distant fields overseas. Almost inevitably I have to give Members the rather unsatisfactory answer that inquiries are being made. If they could give us even 48 hours' notice of putting questions down, we should be able to give them a more satisfactory answer.

When the Minister finds himself in this position, has he not an excellent Parliamentary Private Secretary who could ask for the Questions to be postponed?

Yes, Sir. We should be very happy if Members would postpone their Questions when there is a chance of giving them better information if they do so.

Are we to understand from what my hon. Friend has just said that he only had notice for the first time yesterday of the particular Question which he is now answering?

I think that is so.

Are inquiries of overseas commands made by signal or by overseas mail?

By signal.

In that case why should it take a month to get an answer?

It does not, but it takes more than 24 hours.

This Question was put in last Thursday to the Clerk at the Table, and the Minister must have received it last Friday morning.