55. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Postmaster-General whether he can form any estimate of what would be the cost of installing a public telephone call box in every post office in this country?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONNo reliable figure can be given without compiling an estimate Air each individual office, but the total would probably be not less than £2,000,000.
§ 59 and 61. Mr. RILEYasked the Postmaster-General (1) the terms for installation, annual rental, and call charges for telephones in rural and urban areas, respectively; and what are the conditions upon which telephones are installed in both cases;
§ (2) the charges for rural telephones in Great Britain?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe terms upon which telephone service is provided vary somewhat for London, certain large provincial towns and other parts of the country, and according to whether exclusive or party line circuits are provided. Detailed information on the subject does not lend itself readily to an oral reply, and I would therefore refer the hon. Member to pages 109–112 of the Post Office Guide, where he will find all relevant information fully set out.
§ 60. Mr. RILEYasked the Postmaster-General the number of telephones per 1,000 of the inhabitants in Great Britain?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe number of telephones per 1,000 of the inhabitants in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is now 33.
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe last date for which I have figures is, I think, 31st December, 1925. Then we came about tenth on the list of telephone-using countries.
§ Sir J. NALLDoes that indicate the slow development of the telephone under Government control?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe relative position is distinctly improving.
§ 57. Mr. LOOKER(forMr. RHYS) asked the Postmaster-General the number of applications for rural telephone exchanges during the last three years, respectively, for which figures are available, and the number authorised?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe number of new rural exchanges authorised during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 was 211, 191 and 141 respectively. The total number of applications is not available without considerable labour and expense.
§ 58. Mr. LOOKER(forMr. RHYS) asked the Postmaster-General the number of rural telephone exchanges in operation in the years 1911, 1912 and 1913; and the number in operation in the years 1924, 1925 and 1926?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe number of telephone exchanges serving rural areas in Great Britain and Northern Ireland working at the end of 1911, 1913, 1924, 1925 and 1926 was as follows:
1911 1047 1913 1254 1924 2307 1925 2522 1926 2684
§ Figures are not available for 1912.