asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will take steps to prohibit the disturbing performances of military aerobatic exercises at night over highly populated areas such as Dagenham?

So far as I am aware there has been no recent night flying of an acrobatic character. Flights by civil aircraft assisting in the training of the Territorial anti-aircraft defences of London have been taking place, up to about 10 p.m., over parts of Essex and Middlesex, but the exercises consist of level flying on straight courses without aerobatics of any kind.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many of the permanent commissions in the Air Force, which were granted to men from the ranks in each of the last three years, went to aircraft apprentices, and how many to non-commissioned officers; and also in what proportions in each of the last three years aircraft apprentices, boy entrants, and men have, respectively, been enlisted into the Air Force?

Following is the answer:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether regular flights by airship to the United States of America have commenced; whether he can state the average time for the journey across the Atlantic each way, based on last year's crossings; and for how many months a regular time schedule has been advertised?

Regular flights by the German Airship "Hindenburg" to and from the United States of America commenced on 6th May, 1936, and ended on 12th October, 1936. Ten flights were made each way during that period, the average time for the journey from Frankfurt to Lakehurst being 63 hours 42 minutes and from Lakehurst to Frankfurt 51 hours 46 minutes. The published time table for 1937 provides for 18 flights each way commencing on or about 3rd May and ending on or about 5th November.

asked the Home Secretary whether samples of the standard gas masks intended for sale to the general public are available for full examination and purchase by Members of Parliament?

It has alraedy been announced that the standard civilian type of respirator, which is now being manufactured, will be a free issue to all those living within the potential danger zone. It is not intended to place this respirator on sale. In accordance with a promise I made to the House on 8th March arrangements have been made for a number of these respirators to be available for inspection by hon. Members.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the considerable increase in the practice of begging on the streets in the neighbourhood of Chelsea, which is causing annoyance to the residents of the district; and whether he will instruct the police to take action to prevent this?

Information available does not support the suggestion that begging is on the increase in Chelsea, but I am assured that so far as the law allows, the police are doing their best to deal with any cases that may come to their notice.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of Spanish subjects admitted to this country since 1st July, 1936; and whether the family of ex-General Queipo de Leano have been admitted or have applied for admission recently?

For the purpose of alien passenger statistics Spanish and Portuguese nationals are grouped together and consequently no separate figures for Spanish nationals can be given. The total number of Spanish and Portuguese nationals who have been admitted to this country for the period 1st July, 1936, to 31st March, 1937, is 5,721. As regards the second part of the question, no information has been received in the Home Office of the recent arrival of any member of the family mentioned nor has any communication been received.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the recently published scheme of extended physical education drawn up by the Middlesex County Council and' the fact that there is a large discrepancy of pay as between the male and female organisers; and whether this is an indication that a smaller amount of grant will be made by the Government for the physical development of girls and women than for similar schemes for the benefit of boys and men, and that such unequal scales of pay will be the general rule under the scheme?

The Middlesex Education Authority have recently submitted a proposal for organisers of physical training for the whole county including the local education authorities for elementary education. The scales of salary proposed are:

• Men—£450 by £25 to £600.
• Women—£400 by £20 to £500.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mr. Lambert Smith, owning two small shops at 171a and 166, Piccadilly, is at present assessed at over £40 per annum for water rate, i.e., over £20 for each shop, in which the staff, who do not live in, use one pail and one tea-kettle of water per day; and whether he will have inquiry made into the present system of water rating with a view of correcting such anomalies?

The charges of the Metropolitan Water Board for the supply of water to shops and other premises are regulated by their special Acts of Parliament which give me no jurisdiction in the matter. I am not satisfied that any such special inquiry as is suggested by my hon. Friend is called for. General questions of water rating are within the scope of the Central Water Advisory Committee which I have recently appointed.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many cruisers, destroyers, and other naval ships were repaired at Immingham during the Great War?

According to the available records, three cruisers, 150 destroyers and 127 other naval vessels were repaired at Immingham during the years 1914–1918.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state the number of persons housed by Glasgow Corporation for every Parliamentary division each year since June, 1914; the size of each group of houses provided;

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available. As regards the second part, following is a statement showing the numbers and sizes of houses built by the corporation each year since 1914 to meet the needs of the city as a whole. As regards the last part of the question I am informed that the number of live applications for houses in hand on the 15th April is estimated by the corporation at 70,000.