asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the levels of Croydon airport are within the level requirements laid down by the Air Ministry?

The overall gradients at Croydon airport are in certain directions slightly greater than those now laid down for a "standard aerodrome."

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total number of miles flown by Air France, Luft Hansa, Imperial Airways, Limited, and the Dutch K.L.M. line during each year since 1930, and the total number of passengers carried by each air line during each of these years?

The information asked for is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost, on a percentage basis, of collecting Income Tax in this country and the United States of America, respectively?

I regret that it is not feasible to separate the cost of collecting the Income Tax from that of collecting the other Inland Revenue duties, but the cost of collecting the total Inland Revenue in the year to 31st March last was 1.85 per cent. I have no information as to the comparable figure for the United States.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the long delay that occurs in the answering of some written questions, he will consider fixing a time limit of five days for such answers?

I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said on this subject on 22nd July in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher). I trust that the arrangements now made will avoid any unnecessary delay in replying to written questions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give figures showing the number of retail shops in this country, giving details in respect of grocery, drapery, butcher, and boot shops?

I regret that I am not in a position to furnish this information.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent hides, skins, fur, or wool are coming to England from a country which is now having outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease; and whether these articles are treated before or after despatch to prevent them being carriers of infection?

I understand that foot-and-mouth disease at present exists in few of the British countries but in a number of the foreign countries from which hides, skins, furs and wool are imported into the United Kingdom. Hides and skins coming from the Continent of Europe are admitted into this country only after it has been shown that they satisfy the requirements laid down by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the importation of certain descriptions of hair or wool is subject to regulations imposed by the Home Office under the Anthrax Prevention Act, 1919. Apart from these safeguards, I have no information as to whether imported goods of the kinds mentioned in the question are treated before or after despatch with a view to preventing them from spreading infection.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what are the weekly rates of wages received by the forestry workers of Glamorganshire, Monmouthshire, and Gloucestershire; how many of these workers have to purchase their own tools and what travelling allowances are granted to those of them who have to travel long distances to their work; how many of these workers work under a piecework system; what percentage over day rates are pieceworkers allowed to earn; and whether the Commission has refused favourably to consider an application for an increase of wages sent in on behalf of these workers?

In Glamorganshire the weekly minimum time-work rate for adult male forestry workers is 40s., fixed by the Agricultural Wages Committee. In Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire the Agricultural Wages Committees' rates are 34s. and 33s. respectively, the rate paid to the Forestry Commission's workers being 37s. in both counties.None of the Commission's workers are required to purchase their own tools, but skilled timber fellers and skilled tradesmen bring their own tools. None of these workers are granted travelling allowances. The number of these workers on piecework varies with the season of the year. Piece rates enable the workers to earn 25 per cent. more than the Commission's minimum time rate.As to the last part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given in this House on behalf of the Forestry Commissioners to the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean (Mr. Price) on 30th ultimo.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the grant of free passages to nurses and governesses of officers' children, seeing that the withdrawal in 1933 of this concession presses most hardly on those officers who cannot afford or are unable to leave their children at home?

The concessions which replaced the grant of such passages are of far more general value to the Army as a whole. It is the current practice for officers to engage local nurses for their children.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the numbers now employed at the Nottingham gun factory; and what proportion of these are ex-service men?

At the end of November there were 1,350 employés at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Nottingham, of whom 26 per cent. were ex-service men.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs how many alien immigrants have entered Australia this year up to the latest convenient date?

According to a statement issued by the Commonweath of Australia Bureau of Census and Statistics, the number of aliens of European nationality or racial origin entering Australia during the nine months ending 30th September last was 4,468. There were also 938 permanent new arrivals of non-European racial origin, but these are not classified by nationality in the statement.

asked the Secretary for Mines the percentage of fatal and non-fatal accidents in coal-mining operations in this country and the United States of America, respectively?

As regards fatal accidents, the rate most nearly comparable is that per 1,000 persons employed, and in 1936 the figures were 1.02 for Great Britain and 2.26 (provisional) for the United States of America.The non-fatal accident statistics for the two countries are compiled on different bases, and are not comparable.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many senior schools under the new scheme are Church schools and how many are administered by the county authorities?

On 31st March, 1937, the numbers of senior departments provided by voluntary bodies and by local education authorities respectively were as follow:

asked the Minister of Health what is the present position of the inquiries proceeding relating to the Rent Restriction Acts; and whether he will be in a position to announce the Government policy in this direction before Christmas?

As I announced in reply to the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne) on 9th December, I have now received the report of the Departmental Committee and will present it to Parliament in the course of a day or two. It will not be practicable to announce the policy of the Government before Christmas, but my hon. Friend can be assured that an announcement will be made as early as is possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the Scottish Office are arranging to erect specimen houses from Sweden at Carntyne, in Scotland, such houses are in any way suitable for England; and whether, in that case, he proposes to secure similar specimens for erection and inspection in England?

Swedish timber houses have already been erected in this country, and if my hon. Friend desires, I shall be happy to send him information as to their location.