§ 37. Mr. Sorensenasked the Postmaster-General the increase or decrease in the number of incidents of malicious damage to telephone installations in kiosks in 2007 Leyton during the past 12 months, compared with the previous three years; and how many culprits have been detected and prosecuted.
Dr. HillDuring this year 110 cases of malicious damage to apparatus have been reported; corresponding figures for previous years are not available. No culprits have yet been detected.
§ Mr. SorensenIs not the right hon. Gentleman rather concerned about this trouble which, I presume, applies also to other areas? Can he say what efforts are being made to prevent this malicious damage and to apprehend the culprits?
Dr. HillI am very concerned. Without having a statistical basis, I would say that this is a bad area, especially in the matter of broken windows in kiosks—
§ Mr. SorensenOnly in that respect.
Dr. HillI was referring to that only. The detection of culprits is exceedingly difficult, as the hon. Gentleman will understand, because of the very character of the kiosks. We are doing what we can.
§ Mr. Grant-FerrisIs my right hon. Friend aware of the pilfering of directories and damage caused to them when they are left in these kiosks? Would it be possible to do something about chaining them up?