§ 9. Sir D. Robertsonasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is now in a position to ease restrictions on capital expenditure which are preventing the supply of telephones to communities in Sutherland which are without a single public or private telephone and where there is no telegraph service.
§ Mr. GammansMuch has been done to meet the need for telephone service in isolated communities, but much remains to be done both in such areas and in the rest of the country. Progress is governed by what the country can afford for telephone development, and while the Post Office programme is larger this year and will be increased again next year, it will be a long time before all arrears can be overtaken.
§ Sir D. RobertsonMay I first say that I put this Question down to the Chancellor of the Exchequer? Is it not a fact that the people mentioned in the Question are in the greatest need of telephones? Will the Assistant Postmaster-General not attempt some system of priorities to deal with communities like these where, in a case of accident or illness, there is literally no means of communication.
§ Mr. GammansI have the utmost sympathy with the point raised by my hon. Friend, but I assure him that we can only do what we have the money to carry out.
Mr. J. T. PriceCan the Assistant Postmaster-General explain, if the country is not in a position to afford a reasonable development of the telephone service, how it is that it is able to afford the development of sponsored television?
§ Mr. GammansThat is an entirely different question.