§ MR. GRIFFITH BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tunbridge)To ask the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the fact that, notwithstanding that it is laid down in the licence of the National Telephone Company that they may not charge a rental of more than £6 per annum for exchange facilities in the Tunbridge Wells area, they are demanding from their subscribers a sum of £6 5s. per 521 annum, on the ground that the 5s represents the stamp duty; and, if so, will he state whether such action is a contravention of the terms of their licence; and whether the Company have a right to take away a subscriber's instrument if the suscriber has refused to pay the additional 5s.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) The National Telephone Company is under no obligation so far as its licence is concerned to limit the charge in the Tunbridge Wells area to £6 per annum. The limits of charge for an unlimited local exchange service are £10 and £5 17s. 6d., and the Company may, under its licence, charge any sum within those limits. The agreement between the Corporation of Tunbridge Wells and the Company for the transfer of the Corporation telephone system did, I understand, contain a provision as to the Company's future charges to subscribers who had joined the Corporation system, but I am not prepared to offer an opinion as to the effect of that agreement in relation to the demand of the National Telephone Company that stamp duty on agreements for an exchange service shall be paid by subscribers.