asked the Secretary of State for War whether any written instructions for the guidance of Army officers as to the tactics to be employed and the method of defending all aerodromes have been issued to them; and what steps have been taken to ascertain that all such officers are acquainted with them and fully capable of acting accordingly?

Full instructions are issued to all officers, responsible for the defence of aerodromes. As regards the second part of the Question, I can assure my hon. Friend that all necessary steps are taken to ensure that officers are fully acquainted with these instructions.

Is the War Office entirely responsible for the protection of aerodromes, or is the responsibility shared with any other Department?

That is a wider question.

Dr. Russell Thomas:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the light of recent events, he is satisfied with the arrangements for the defence of British aerodromes?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of our failure successfully to defend the aerodromes in Crete and at Kota Bharu, in Malaya, steps have been taken to profit by the lessons of these failures to organise all our other aerodromes to better advantage?

I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by the Lord Privy Seal to the hon. Member for Walton (Mr. Purbrick) on 10th December.

Dr. Thomas:

Have any steps been taken to investigate the gross underestimate of our position by our High Command in Malaya, which has materially affected our strategy in the Pacific?

Information in regard to operations in the East is coming in at all times, and is being carefully examined. I would add that I must not be regarded as accepting the implications of the hon. Member's Question.

Will any inquiries be made about the loss of those aerodromes?