§ Mr. LAWTHERasked the Postmaster-General if he will institute inquiries into the villages in the Weardale and Teesdale districts of Durham that are without any telephone services and seek to have those services extended?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe question of providing telephone call offices in these districts is under consideration in connection with the general proposals for the provision of call offices at a number of post offices in rural areas.
§ Mr. DAYasked the Postmaster-General whether in view of the fact that many nurses in small villages and rural areas are unable to have the facilities of the telephone in their homes because they are unable to pay the higher tariffs, he will consider granting to nurses the facilities of the telephone service on the lower private scale instead of on the higher scale as at present?
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§ Mr. LEES-SMITHTelephones are provided for nurses at the residential rate where the entry in the telephone directory makes no reference to their profession and where nursing is not carried on at the house. When these conditions are not satisfied the telephone must be regarded as used for business purposes. I regret that I cannot discriminate in favour of one class of business by according preferential charges or other exceptional conditions.