HC Deb 29 October 1947 vol 443 cc840-1
3. Mr. William Shepherd

asked the Postmaster-General the total number of telephone books which were replaced in 1946, and the total number of old books which were collected during the same period.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

Approximately 4,000,000 telephone directories were replaced in 1946, including 1,200,000 in London. The number of old directories collected by the Post Office throughout the country is not available, but in London the number was just over 1,000,000. Many old directories were no doubt, also included in local collections of paper salvage.

Mr. Shepherd

Is it not a fact that there are widespread collections of books that have not been taken up, and will he make it clear that these may be put in the local salvage collections?