§ MR. COHENOn behalf of my right hon. friend the Member for the City of London, I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether any estimate has yet been arrived at of the sum of money that will be payable to the National Telephone Company for the purchase by the Postmaster-General of their undertaking in 1911, under the agreement of February 2nd, 1905; and, if so, what is the amount of the estimate; and whether he will alter the Notice of Motion standing in his name with regard to the reference of that agreement to a Select Committee, so as to give local authorities and others interested the right to be heard by counsel or otherwise before the Select Committee.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY,) Lancashire, WesthougntonThe price to be paid to the National Telephone Company for plant in 1911 must depend on many things, including the maintenance of the plant in the meantime and the expansion of the system. It is impossible, therefore, to estimate at the present time the amount to be paid to the company. The committee will have power to send for persons, papers, and records, and can take any evidence they may consider necessary. I do not think any further directions necessary.