asked the Secretary of State for Air what subsidy was paid to Imperial Airways, Limited, for each completed flight, Cairo-Basra, during the calendar year 1927 and during the calendar year 1928?

The rate of subsidy in 1927 varied under the agreement, and was £1,200 for each of the first 52 flights, £900 for each of the next 26, and £300

AIRCRAFT ISSUED TO IMPERIAL AIRWAYS, LIMITED, under contract with the Air Ministry, for experimental operation in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
Name of Aircraft.		Date of Issue to Imperial Airways.		Date of Return by Imperial Airways.
Handley Page "Hamilton"	…	27th November, 1924	…	23rd March, 1925.
Avro "Andover"	…	27th June, 1925	…	25th July, 1925.
Vickers "Vanguard"	…	(1) 17th October, 1925	…	17th December, 1925.
		(2) 1st June, 1926	…	30th June, 1926.
		(3) 24th May, 1928	…	29th October, 1928.
Supermarine "Swan"	…	9th June, 1926	…	8th March, 1927.
DeHavilland 54 "Highclere"	…	(1) 1st October, 1926	…	16th October, 1926.
		(2) 9th November, 1926	…	1st February, 1927 (destroyed and written off charge).

asked the Secretary of State for Air to state the date on which the full agreement between the Air Ministry and Imperial Airways, Limited, was signed; and if it is the intention of the Ministry to keep the exact terms of this agreement secret?

The answer to the first part of the question is that the agreement was signed on 9th March, 1929. The answer to the second part is that there is no secrecy about the terms and that the position in regard

asked the Secretary of State for Air what particular aeroplanes and seaplanes have been lent by the Air Ministry to Imperial Airways, Limited, for operation since 1924; on what dates were they handed over to Imperial Airways, Limited; and on what dates were they returned to the Air Ministry?

The following table gives the information requested:to publication was made quite clear in the reply given to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle) on 25th July last.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what were the results of the tests on the hydrogen-kerosene engine purchased from the Airship Guarantee Company in March, 1926; if he is now in a position to say whether or not the engine will be of any practical value; and how much money, in cluding cost of purchase, has been spent by the Air Ministry on this machine up to date?

As regards the first two parts of the question, the hydrogen-kerosene engine has now been reconstructed in the light of the criticisms of departmental experts and has passed acceptance tests. This type of engine is still in an experimental stage, but it has certain features which may well prove it to be, when developed, the best suited for airship purposes. Further tests are at present in hand, but the process of developing any engine is necessarily a lengthy one. The answer to the last part of the question is, approximately, £15,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if the two scientists who were examining the plans of the two new airships in 1927 have completed their examination of the Burney ship R 100 and have reported; if the scheme of factors for safety as laid down in the Report of the Airworthiness of Airships Panel has been adhered to; if the maximum structural weight of 90 tons allowed in the contract for this airship has been exceeded; and if formal approval has been given to the design of this airship by the Air Ministry?

In reply to the first part of the question, the report of the two scientists has not yet been received, but I understand that their examination is practically complete. Until this report is received I am not in a position to answer the second and third parts of the question. As regards the last part of the question, no formal approval of the design of the airship is necessary, but it must comply with the stipulations in the contract, which include the airworthiness requirements on which the two scientists are reporting.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why men serving on board His Majesty's Cableship "Kilmun," who have previously been employed in dockyard service before trans fer to that ship, are not allowed to count the previous time served and the time on that ship for establishment?

The service of the members of the crew of the "Kilmun" is reckoned for supperannuation purposes in accordance with the same rules as are applicable for other civilian employés under the Admiralty. The established posts in the "Kilmun" are for particular ratings and are filled by the selection of the most suitable men; service in the "Kilmun" or in the dockyard is not the determining factor.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will grant a return showing the number of persons dealt with for motoring offences, together with the number of the various offences and the results of the proceedings in the courts, in Scotland during the period July to December, 1928?

A return of the nature referred to would involve considerable time and labour, and, as it could not be prepared in the life of the present Parliament, I do not feel justified in initiating its preparation.

asked the Postmaster-General what arrangements have been made for the extension of telephone services to some of the 6,000 villages which are without it; when a start will be made; and in what number of villages?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply on the 22nd April to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give the latest figures showing the number of individual accounts in the Post Office Savings Bank and the total amount represented by these accounts?

The number of accounts, excluding accounts with balances of amounts under £1 on which no transaction has taken place for at least five years, was 9,818,000 at the 31st December, 1928, and the total amount due to depositors at that date was £288,690,000.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether there have been any negotiations with the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church on the subject of their schools; and, if so, whether he can state the outcome?

I have had the advantage of discussing the position of non-provided schools on many occasions with representatives of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church and the Free Churches, as well as the local education authorities. I do not think my hon. Friend will expect me to discuss the various problems involved within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department has any evidence to the effect that payments are being made to German gas-mantle manufacturers to prevent them sending over gas mantles to this country?

I understand that shortly after the imposition of the Safeguarding Duty an agreement was made between the British manufacturers and the German cartel which had been subsidising exportation to Great Britain, as a result of which foreign imports into this country have been reduced to trivial proportions. Under this agreement certain compensatory payments are made to the cartel by the British manufacturers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of permits granted by his Department to foreign musicians to enter Great Britain and accept engagements therein for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; has he any information of British orchestral attractions that have been refused permission to appear in foreign countries during this period; and, if so, will he give particulars?

The number of foreign musicians (instrumentalists) admitted between the 1st April, 1928 and 31st March, 1929, was 52. In addition, the Royal Belgian Guards, consisting of 81 persons, were permitted to give one concert in London. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour seeing that the Jack Hylton band has been refused permission to play in America, and in view of the number of American bands or musicians which have been allowed to come to this country in the last three years, whether he will consider the need for reciprocity in issuing any further permits to enter this country to American musicians?

My right hon. Friend has no information which leads him to think that it is necessary to change the policy hitherto adopted in this matter. I would refer my hon. Friend to Command Paper 3318, which sets out in some detail the conditions imposed regarding the entry of foreign bands to this country.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the number of persons registered as unemployed as at the last convenient date at the Walworth Road (Borough) Unemployment Exchange; can he state whether any persons: registered at this Exchange have been accepted as suitable as trainees at any Government training centres during the last 12 months; and, if so, will he give particulars?

At 29th April there were 6,565 persons on the registers of the Borough Employment Exchange. The number of persons registered at this Exchange who have been accepted as trainees during the past 12 months is 48, two for home employment and 46 for overseas. Of the latter six have sailed for Australia, and 16 for Canada; 18 are still in training; and six either relinquished their training or withdrew their applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether it is his intention to publish the Report of the Economic Commission to Australia, under Sir Arthur Duckham, as a White Paper?

The report has been republished here as a Stationery Office publication.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give the latest figures regarding the use made of long and short term credits under the Agricultural Credits Act, 1928?

Applications for loans under Part I of the Agricultural Credits Act, 1928, received by the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation up to the close of business on Tuesday, 30th April, 1929, were as follows:

	£
Loans on Mortgage, 1,033	3,779,896
Improvement Loans, 33	36,554
	£3,816,450

Of these, the following have been granted by the directors of the corporation, subject to the examination of title and satisfactory completion of the formalities:

	£
Loans on Mortgage	1,233,335
Improvement Loans	17,675
	£1,251,010

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the case of the various herring fishing harbours in Scotland, he can state the amount of the duties paid to the harbour authorities in the latest year for which information is available?

According to information furnished by the respective harbour authorities the following are the total amounts of dues of all kinds paid at the undermentioned harbours in the latest years for which information is available.

Harbour.	Total amount of dues.
	£
Eyemouth	1,522
St. Monance	338
Anstruther	638
Peterhead	17,960
Fraserburgh	21,702
Gardenstown	230
Macduff	2,077
Cullen	155
Portknockie	544
Findochty	173
Buckie	7,190
Nairn	138
Wick	15,730
Whitehall (Stronsay)	3,242
Lerwick	6,259
Stornoway	11,116
Total	£89,023