Waiting List
1.
asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of outstanding applications for telephones at the latest convenient date; and what is the estimated number of new subscribers to be provided with private lines during 1951.
The waiting list numbered 540,143 on 31st December, 1950. During 1951 we expect to connect about 390,000 subscribers, including new applicants for whom local plant is available.
Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that the figure has risen from 200,000 at the end of the war, and does he not think it would be a good thing if the Post Office put first things first, cut out some of the frills and concentrated on a telephone service which will help the productive efficiency of the country?
The hon. and gallant Member may know that 92 per cent. of the Post Office expenditure is now concerned with telephones.
Does "private lines" here mean party lines?
No, Sir.
Facilities
14.
asked the Postmaster-General if he is yet in a position to make a further statement upon his efforts to improve the telephone facilities by connecting more than two subscribers upon a single line.
No, Sir. The problem is a very complex one and the study now being made will take some considerable time to complete.
London—Venezuela Service
16.
asked the Postmaster-General why it is impossible to telephone to Caracas, Venezuela, from this country in view of the fact that it is possible to do so from New York.
Negotiations for the extension of the London—New York service to Venezuela are already in progress and I hope that service will be available from this country in the near future.
Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that it causes considerable loss and inconvenience to commercial firms who are not able to get through on the telephone? As it is possible to get through from New York there seems to be no technical reason why we cannot get through from London.
That will depend entirely on the commercial undertakings on the opposite side of the Atlantic cooperating with us and agreeing to these facilities.
Orkney And Shetland
21.
asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now satisfied with the radio-telephone link between North Ronaldshay and Sanday.
Yes, Sir. It is hoped that the first public telephone kiosk on North Ronaldshay will be provided in a few months' time.
22.
asked the Postmaster-General whether he can give any further information as to when the island of Skerries, in Shetland, may expect a telephone link.
The equipment for this link has been ordered.
Can the right hon. Gentleman say when it may be received, and whether there is now any general shortage of equipment for this sort of service?
I cannot get a firm date from the firm with whom the order has been placed.
Directories
25.
asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, although the accidental omission of a subscriber's name from the telephone directory must cause 12 months' inconvenience to a private person and financial loss to a business firm, the telephone regulations deprive the subscriber of any claim against his Department in respect of the error; and whether he will amend these regulations so as to ensure that telephone subscribers who suffer through his Department's mistake are not debarred from establishing a claim for redress.
We cannot agree to pay compensation in these very rare cases but every effort is made to minimise their effect, e.g., by distributing the subscriber's correction notices at Post Office cost, and by specially recording his number at directory inquiry bureaux.
Does the right hon. Gentleman really think that the Government are justified in obliging members of the public to sign away their rights in matters like this before connecting them with the telephone service?
The directory is published conditionally. This condition is on the front of the directory and it is on the agreement. We do all that we can to see that the issue is correct, and it is very rare that there is an omission.
26.
asked the Postmaster-General what is the weight of the telephone directories annually distributed; and what is the weight of the old ones annually collected by his Department and sold for re-manufacture as paper.
About 10,000 tons. About 80 per cent. of old directories are recovered by the Post Office. The remainder largely go into local salvage.
As the Post Office does not collect many old directories, including my own and those of other hon. Members, and as many local authorities do not collect waste paper at all, is the Postmaster-General doing anything to reduce the substantial gap between the two figures?
I have said that we collect 80 per cent. of the old directories—
But two thousand tons not collected.
We collect 80 per cent. of 10,000 tons. We cannot compel everybody to give up their old directories. We would not take steps to get everybody to give up their old directories. Many subscribers want to retain them and they are allowed to do so. In areas where there is no collection of salvage we insist upon collection as far as we can, but where we are informed that the local authorities collect salvage we do not take this action.