asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone kiosks are in existence in the country; what is the cost of the upkeep of these kiosks; and how many are self-supporting?

At the end of last month, there were 3,336 telephone kiosks in use. Practically all are self-supporting. The aggregate cost of upkeep, including capital charges as well as maintenance and operating costs, is, roughly, £50,000 a year.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone kiosks that have been erected in the London area to the last convenient date, giving separately the particulars of the number that have been erected in the S.E.1 and S.E.17 districts?

At the end of last month there were 512 telephone kiosks in use in the London telephone service area, of which 12 were in the S.E.1 postal district and one in the S.E.17 district.

asked the Postmaster-General the reasons for the new policy in the telegraph service, whereby women are to replace men in considerable numbers; how many men will thus be affected; whether any established civil servants will be dismissed; and how much the saving to the nation will be?

The decision to increase the proportion of women on telegraph instrument duties follows the extension of the use of typewriter keyboard instruments, which are specially suitable for operation by women, and the decrease during recent years in the proportion of night work. No dismissal of established officers is involved. The saving over any given period cannot be precisely estimated, as it depends on the occurrence of vacancies; but it will eventually reach a substantial figure.

asked the Postmaster General the number of telephone calls that were passed in Great Britain for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, showing separately the number passed in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Cardiff?

The following is an estimate of the number of calls passed over the Post Office telephone system during the 12 months ended the 31st December, 1926, in Great Britain and in the towns specified:

asked the Home Secretary whether, on the occasion of the recent raid on Arcos and the Russian Trade Delegation, any policewomen were of the police party; and whether, in view of the fact that such a raid might necessitate the searching of women, he will see in any future case, where women are likely to be searched, that policewomen are included in the police party?

It was not found necessary to search any women on the occasion referred to; but if it had been necessary experienced police matrons would have been employed for the purpose. All police forces recognise that women should only be searched by women, and employ for this purpose either policewomen or other suitable women.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the road sign-boards in Stratford Broadway are so small that they are totally inadequate and give no assistance to motorists, and that many stop their vehicles in order to read the sign-posts, thereby causing congestion of traffic; and will he therefore take steps to see that adequate signposts are fixed indicating at this crossroad the way to Romford and Colchester on the one hand and Leytonstone and Cambridge on the other?

The provision of adequate signs is a matter for the responsible highway authority whose approved expenditure for such purposes is eligible for assistance from the Road Fund. I will draw the attention of the West Ham Borough Council to the representations made by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the remarks of the Marylebone magistrate when he had before him Thomas Sidney Claydon, who was charged with being drunk and with the dangerous driving of a motor car, when the magistrate criticised the existing law whereby a driving licence is automatically suspended for 12 months in all cases where such charges are brought against defendants; and will he consider the introduction of legislation to amend the present law so as to give magistrates and Judges discretion in cases of this nature?

My attention had not been drawn to the prosecution to which the hon. Member refers, but Parliament will have an opportunity of considering afresh the penalties which should attach to the offence of drunkenness while in charge of a motor vehicle when the Road Traffic Bill, of which a draft was recently circulated, is introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which parts of the Empire are debarred by treaty or mandate from according preference to goods from other parts of the Empire?

As far as the territories whose affairs are dealt with in the Colonial Office are concerned, the following Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories are precluded by international agreement or by mandate from according a preference to British Empire goods:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the Nationalist Government of Nanking has dissolved the Whangpoo Conservancy Board, he will state how many British subjects will be displaced by the dissolution of the board; and whether His Majesty's Government was consulted in the matter and concurred in this measure?

I have no official information regarding the reported dissolution of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board. The most recent list in my possession shows that at the beginning of this year two of the ex-officio directors (the Commissioner of Customs and the Harbour Master) and one member of the Consultative Board were British subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is prepared to take steps to extend to local authorities of rural areas in Scotland the power conferred on town councils by the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act, 1903, of regulating the hours of opening of places of public amusement?

I am prepared to consider this proposal when an opportunity for legislation occurs, if it is limited to county councils and has the general support of county councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to meet the demand for small holdings in the district of Clyne-kirkton, in the parish of Clyne, Sutherland?

The applications from Clynekirkton district have recently been the subject of local investigation by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, who are considering the matter.