§ 28. Mr. DAYasked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider installing cabinets to all telephone kiosks with sound-proof doors so as to enable telephone callers to conduct private conversations without being overheard; and whether he can state the number of rural post offices in which no telephone cabinets are installed, either inside or outside?
§ The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Sir Walter Womersley)Many public telephones in rural post offices are not enclosed in silence cabinets, and I am considering the transference of these telephones as practicable to kiosks outside the post offices where they will be accessible when the offices are closed. About 600 rural post offices have no public telephones; but in these cases kiosks are being provided this year under the Jubilee concession.
§ Mr. STEPHENWill the hon. Gentleman see that there is no reduction of facilities in the areas where this change is being made?
§ Sir W. WOMERSLEYIn reply to the first question, we shall certainly see that the kiosks are soundproof. In reply to the second, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that our endeavour is to increase, and not decrease, the available facilities.
§ Sir W. WOMERSLEYI would require notice of a question of that magnitude.