asked the Secretary of State for Air what civil aviation services have been, or are about to be restored, and, in particular, what steps have been taken to inaugurate a regular bi-weekly service to Scandinavia; and whether special regard will be taken to the importance of transporting newspapers and urgent mail to neutral countries, in view of the regularity of the delivery of German mails and newspapers?

As the reply to the first part of the question can best be given in tabular form, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the second part, it is not at present contemplated to increase the frequency of the existing British weekly service to Scandinavia, but communication by air with Scandinavia will shortly be established on a bi-weekly basis by the inauguration of a Swedish-Norwegian weekly service in addition. A service from Copenhagen, to be operated by Danish Air Lines, has been authorised and will shortly start. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

Following is the table:

A. BRITISH COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES BETWEEN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

In Operation.

(i) Restricted Empire Air Mail Services:

Hythe—Sydney. (Twice per week in each direction by flying boat.)

Hythe—Durban. (Once per week in each direction by flying boat.)

Hythe—Kisumu. (Once per week in. each direction by flying boat.)

(ii) Landplane service to Egypt:

Heston—Calcutta. (Once per week in each direction until 30th October, 1939, after which service will be twice weekly in each direction.)

(iii) Perth—Stavanger—Stockholm—Helsinki. (Once weekly in each direction by landplane.)

(iv) Heston—Le Bourget. (Once daily in each direction in conjunction with Air France.)

In Prospect.

(v) United Kingdom—Lisbon. (By land-plane or flying boat as circumstances may require.)

B. OTHER COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES BETWEEN7 THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

In Operation.

(vi) Le Bourget—Heston. (Once daily in each direction operated by Air France; in conjunction with British Service.)

(vii) Brussels—Shoreham. (Once on weekdays in each direction operated by SABENA.)

(viii) Amsterdam—Shoreham. (Once daily in each direction operated by K.L.M.)

(ix) Dublin—Liverpool. (Once daily in each direction operated by Aer Lingus Teoranta.)

In Prospect.

(x) Aberdeen—Stavanger—Stockholm—Helsinki. (Once weekly in each direction, to be operated jointly by A.B. Aerotransport and Det Norske Luftfartselskap.)

(xi) Copenhagen — Amsterdam—Shoreham. (Once weekly in each direction, to be operated by Det Danske Luftfartselskab.)

C. COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

In Operation.

(xii) Renfrew—Campbeltown—Islay. (Once daily on weekdays in each direction operated by Scottish Airways, Limited.)

(xiii) Inverness—Wick (or Thurso)—Kirkwall. (Once daily on weekdays in each direction operated by Scottish Airways, Limited.)

(xiv) Kirkwall—Sumburgh (Lerwick). (Twice weekly operated by Scottish Airways, Limited.)

(xv) Lands End—Scilly Isles. (On demand operated by Great Western and Southern Air Lines, Limited.)

(xvi) Aberdeen—Wick (or Thurso)—Kirkwall (or Stromness). (Four days a week in each direction operated by Allied Airways (Gandar Dower), Limited.)

(xvii) Kirkwall—Sumburgh (Lerwick). (Twice weekly operated by Allied Airways (Gandar Dower), Limited.)

(xviii) Kirkwall—Thurso. (Once daily operated by Scottish Airways, Limited.)

(xix) Shoreham—Channel Islands. (Twice daily in each direction, one for mails and one for passengers, operated by Jersey Airways, Limited.)

About to Start.

(xx) Weston-super-Mare—Cardiff. (Western Airways, Limited. Hourly service during daylight.)

In Prospect.

(xxi) Liverpool—Isle of Man:

(xxii) Isle of Man—Belfast:

Proposals awaited from Isle of Man Airways, Limited.