HC Deb 14 May 1947 vol 437 c1479
13. Sir W. Smithers

asked the Postmaster-General for how long his Department undertook the Imperial Cable Service, and on what date it was handed over to the Cable and Wireless Company; and for what reasons.

The Postmaster-General (Mr. Wilfred Paling)

The Post Office operated a transatlantic cable service from 1917 until 1928, and wireless services to various Empire countries from 1926 until 1928. In 1928 these cable and wireless services were transferred to Imperial and International Communications, Ltd., subsequently known as Cable and Wireless, Ltd., on the recommendations of the Imperial Wireless and Cable Conference of that year. The considerations which led to these recommendations are set out in the Report of the Conference, which was published as a White Paper (Cmd. 3163).

Sir W. Smithers

Is it not a fact that the Post Office tried to run this Imperial service for a long time and it was a failure and directly it went over to Cable and Wireless it became a roaring success?

Mr. Paling

No, Sir, the hon. Member is quite wrong; he has got it wrong side up.