§ 38. Captain Cunningham-Reidasked the Postmaster-General what additional charge is made for the installation and rental of the special telephone apparatus for the use of deaf subscribers?
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Sir Walter Womersley)Amplifiers for persons with defective hearing are provided at a rental of 10s, a quarter. There is no installation charge.
§ Captain Cunningham-ReidIs the Postmaster-General looking forward to the time when people so afflicted can be provided with this service free of charge?
§ Sir W. WomersleyMy right hon. Friend is always looking for improvements in the telephone service for those with good or bad hearing, and it is only a question of the financial effects of the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion.
§ 51. Mr. Anstruther-Grayasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to numerous complaints of the inefficient working of the telephone at and in the neighbourhood of Airdrie, Lanarkshire; and what progress has been made with the installation of an automatic exchange?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe telephone exchange at Airdrie is already automatic and my information is that the service in the neighbourhood is satisfactory. There have been very few complaints of unsatisfactory working.
§ Mr. Anstruther-GrayIs my hon. Friend aware that one subscriber failed on three successive occasions to get a connection between London and Airdrie, and in view of that, is he satisfied that all the local complaints have in fact been reported to him?
§ Sir W. WomersleyI am not aware of the circumstances of the case mentioned by my hon. Friend, but if he will let me have full particulars I will have an investigation made.
§ 54. Mr. Robert Gibsonasked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks providing a 24-hour daily service there are in each of the following islands of Scotland: Bute, Arran, Islay, Mull, Iona, Skye, and Lewis (including Harris); and whether he has any statement to make regarding the use of such telephone service over the last six years?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe numbers of public telephone kiosks providing a 24-hour daily service in the islands concerned are as follow:
In the short time available, I am not in a position to make any statement on the extent to which the facilities have been used by the public; but if the hon. Member so wishes, the information will be obtained and communicated to him.
Bute … 15 Islay … 10 Mull … 11 Iona … 1 Arran … 13 Skye … 7 Lewis and Harris … 3
§ Mr. GibsonI shall be very much obliged.