§ SIR JAMES WOODHOUSE (Huddersfield)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether any terms have been agreed upon with the National Telephone 265 Company as to inter-communication between the subscribers of that company and the subscribers of any competitive telephonic systems which may be set up under the provisions of the Bill now before Parliament when they shall come into force; and, if so, whether he will state what those terms are.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HANBURY) PrestonIf the subscribers of a new licensee equal in number one-half the subscribers of the National Telephone Company, intercommunication will be free in the restricted area of the new licensee; or, if the numbers are one-half of those over the whole area, then over the whole area. If they are equal to one-quarter, or less than one-half, there will be a charge of 1d. per conversation.
§ MR. PROVAND (Glasgow Blackfriars)And in cases where it is less than a quarter?
§ MR. HANBURYAs a matter of fact, if there are more than 500, but less than one-quarter, there will be a right of intercommunication at the rate of 1½d. Those cases, however, will be extremely rare, for I shall certainly advise the Post Office not to grant licences except where there is real bonâ-fide competition.