asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the total expenditure on the Sherburn-in-Elmet aerodrome in 1916, 1917, and 1918; what building, if any, has taken place since then in the neighbourhood which might obstruct the approaches to the aerodrome; whether a sewerage scheme is now in hand which will remove what was previously a defect; whether the aerodrome is exactly as it was left in 1918; whether the nature of the surrounding land is such that extensions would be easy and not costly; and whether it would be cheaper to buy the Sherburn aerodrome and extend it than to buy agricultural land and to make an entirely new aerodrome?

As regards the first part of the question, exact information is not now available, but the total was probably about £200,000. As regards the remaining parts, a bacon factory has been erected to the northwest; a sewerage scheme would not affect the decision not to repurchase the site; the aerodrome area is understood to be slightly less than in 1913; extensions would not be especially easy and would be of average cost; and it would have been more, not less, expensive to buy the Sherburn site than to purchase and develop the new site that has been selected.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what countries were, or are to be, represented at any Royal Air Force tournaments and displays this year, stating the number and category of officers in each case?

Nearly 140 officers from about 30 foreign countries were present by invitation at the Royal Air Force Display on 29th June, and a similar number, representing about 55 countries, were invited to attend the Royal Review last Saturday. It is not practicable to indicate the representation by category.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the conduct of police at the Hendon air display in attacking harmless pacifist demonstrators, in one case destroying a camera with which one was taking a photograph of the police attack on his fellow demonstrators; and is he aware that the only disturbances were caused by persons who attempted to take from the pacifists the leaflets being distributed, which persons, together with vendors of the "Blackshirt," the police left unmolested?

I have had inquiries made, and the Commissioner of Police informs me that the real facts are as follow. A procession headed by a youth carrying a large red flag was marching towards the main gate of the aerodrome. Some of the demonstrators refused to obey police directions and a few minor scuffles ensued. As for the camera incident, I understand that the camera was accidentally knocked out of the hand of a bystander (who was not known to be one of the demonstrators) by a police inspector. The inspector apologised for the accident and gave his name and station to the owner, but nothing further has been heard of the matter. Nothing was seen by the police of persons attempting to seize leaflets which were being distributed. The action of the police throughout was directed solely to prevent any breach of the peace.

asked the President of the Board of Education what are the responsibilities of His Majesty's inspectors in regard to safety of school buildings; and whether he is satisfied that their position in the matter is understood by managers and local education authorities?

The responsibility for the structural safety of school buildings rests with those who provide buildings for school use: the local education authorities in the case of provided schools and the managers or governors in the case of other schools. His Majesty's inspector draws attention to such defects in the premises of a school as affect their suitability for teaching purposes, and he also calls attention to any indications of structural instability which come to his notice, but it is not part of his duty, nor indeed would it be possible for him to investigate the structural condition of walls, floors, roofs and staircases. While the construction of school buildings normally provides a sufficient margin of safety, it cannot be assumed that the keeping of the visible parts of a building in good repair will always suffice. Through lapse of time and uneven deterioration, there may arise decay, settlements and damage due to traffic vibration, which can only be revealed by expert examination. The circumstances and condition of the buildings must determine the measures of precaution which it is proper to adopt in an individual case. There will be cases, particularly in schools of more than one storey, where consultation between the governors or managers and the local education authority may be desirable, in order to ensure that particular rooms are not used for a purpose, ordinary or extraordinary, for which they are not safe. I am confident that local education authorities, managers and governors generally appreciate their responsibilities, and are to be relied on to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the buildings in their charge can be used without danger.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet received the report of the work of the commissioner for the special areas; and when it is expected that publication can be made?

I cannot give the exact date, but there will be no avoidable delay.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured juveniles aged 14 to 16 in employment at the last convenient date?

I regret that precise statistics on the point are not available. The total number of juveniles aged under 16, to whom unemployment books had been issued up to the end of June, 1935, and who had not reached 16 years of age at that date, was approximately 916,000, and the number recorded as unemployed at 24th June, 1935, was approximately 28,000. I have no information, however, as to the numbers included in the balance of 888,000 who were absent from work owing to sickness or other reasons, or who were no longer seeking insurable employment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to give a statement regarding the progress of the Beddington sewage scheme, Croydon; and whether he can assure people resident in the Mitcham, Thornton Heath, and West Croydon districts that all necessary precautions have been taken by his Department, in conjunction with the Croydon Corporation, against a repetition of the insanitary conditions which were experienced in these areas in 1934?

I am informed that a scheme for dealing with the whole of the sludge will be placed before the council at their meeting this month. Any scheme put forward will be fully investigated by the Ministry before sanction is given. Interim measures have been taken to prevent nuisance.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider amending the lunacy laws with the object of providing differential treatment for mental deficiency?

In England and Wales the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913 to 1927, make express provision for the ascertainment and treatment of mental defectives, as distinct from persons dealt with under the Lunacy and Mental Treatment Acts, 1890 to 1930. I am not aware of circumstances necessitating action such as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Minister of Health whether there are any rules or regulations governing the acceptance by town councils of the payment of rates by instalments; how many local authorities adopt this practice; and what is the attitude of his Department on the subject?

Town councils and other rating authorities can collect rates by instalments. My approval is not necessary, and there are no rules or regulations governing the matter, except as regards the accounts to be kept. I do not have information of the number of authorities who have adopted the system, which I favour where it will facilitate the collection of rates and diminish hardship to ratepayers.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that a penny telephone call rate is in operation for an area around London which is larger than the Isle of Wight, he will consider the institution at an early date of a similar flat call rate of one penny for all calls within the latter place?

I am afraid that the circumstances in the two areas are so different as to render similar treatment impracticable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many persons were engaged in agriculture for the year 1930 and each succeeding year in England and Wales, and separate figures for Scotland for the same years?

According to the Industry Tables issued in connection with the Census of Population of 1931, 961,290 persons aged 14 years and over were engaged in agriculture in England and Wales in that year and 168,504 persons in Scotland. These figures exclude 56,369 persons in England and Wales, and 8,228 in Scotland described as "out of work" at the date of the Census. Corresponding figures are not available in respect of the year 1930 and years subsequent to 1931, but according to returns collected annually in June the total numbers of workers, excluding the occupier, his wife and domestic servants, employed on agricultural holdings above one acre in England and Wales and in Scotland in each of the years 1930 to 1934 were as follow:—

—			England and Wales.	Scotland.
			Number.	Number.
1930	…	…	741,696	115,508
1931	…	…	716,607	112,466
1932	…	…	697,481	111,257
1933	…	…	715,546	112,465
1934	…	…	687,972	113,274

Figures for 1935 will not be available until August next.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will call for a fresh return from all local authorities of the number of allotment holders and the number of acres let for allotments in England and Wales, having regard to the fact, that the latest available figures are for the year 1930 and indicate a drop since 1927 of 27 per cent. in the number of allotment holders?

I have already called for such a return and the information obtained will be tabulated and included in the report on the work of the land division of the Ministry for the year 1934, which will shortly be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the annual value of the export and import trade passing through Zeila; what proportion of such trade comes from, or goes to, Great Britain; and what steps are taken to stimulate such trade?

The value of imports and exports passing through Zeila during recent years is as follows:

Imports		Exports
(excluding specie).		(excluding specie).
	1932.
£38,655		£34,721
	1933.
£46,771		£38,313
	1934.
£47,551		£43,553

There is also an unimportant transit trade, the value of which was only £1,764 in 1932. No figures are available to show what portion of Zeila trade comes from or goes to Great Britain. So far as Zeila trade generally is concerned, the Somaliland Administration has endeavoured to assist this by reducing Customs duties at the port to one-half or one-third of the general rate payable in the Protectorate. There are also no port or harbour dues. So far as British trade is concerned, this is assisted by a wide range of preferences in the Somaliland tariff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his Department is now in a position to recommend a grant for a scientific investigation into the causes of physical and mental backwardness in the natives of Kenya Colony, an investigation demanded on repeated occasions by scientific bodies in Kenya and in this country, and supported by his Excellency the Governor of Kenya Colony?

No, Sir. There are no funds at the disposal of my Department from which any grant for such purpose could be made. The importance of inquiry into the mental and physical development of African natives is recognised. But before deciding what steps should be taken, I propose to await the issue of the general investigation which is to be conducted by the African Research Survey under Sir Malcolm Hailey. I understand that this survey will take the form of a review of African problems generally and that it will indicate the extent of existing knowledge concerning those problems and the steps to be taken to supply any deficiencies in that knowledge. The inquiry to which the hon. Member refers is only one part of the general survey, and the necessity for any special investigation of it must be considered in the light of its relation to other factors. It is in regard to the interrelation of African problems and relevant factors that the general investigation will, it is hoped, be of special value in determining the course of future research.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to developments in Scotland in the production of motor spirit from alcohol; and whether this alcohol is manufactured from home or imported material?

My information is that there is no production of alcohol for use as motor fuel in Scotland.