§ 43. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Postmaster-General how many of the 1,300 people who have a special telephone line receive it free; what is the cost to the remainder; and what is the delay when an application is made for such a line.
§ Mr. BevinsNone, Sir. No customer of the Post Office is given a free telephone service, though there are certainly cases where the charge is borne by the user's organisation. The charge consists of the normal exchange line rental plus £2 a year if the line is connected to the subscriber's local exchange, and a charge varying with distance if it is to any other exchange. The time to provide the line depends on the availability of equipment and the amount of other work on hand.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley - DavenportWhilst no one grudges the Minister or his personal assistant the privilege of a special telephone line should they require it, as has been published in the Press, nevertheless, would it not be a good thing if they used the normal telephone service as much as possible in order to keep up to date in their experience of the bad service we all have to suffer in getting wrong numbers, being cut off in the middle of conversations, and the interminable time it takes to get the operator to answer?
§ Mr. BevinsThat is precisely what I do. I have never since I have been in my present office asked for or sought any privileges at all.