§ 8. Mr. Denis Howellasked the Postmaster-General if he will seek powers to make it illegal to use the telephone service for the purposes of general sales and advertising promotions in respect of private residences.
§ Mr. BevinsNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HowellIs not the Minister aware that that reply will cause grave alarm to many telephone subscribers? This pestilence of ringing people up is an incursion into the privacy of the home. Why should this American type of advertising be carried out in this country at the expense of ordinary telephone subscribers who want to be left in peace and who, having paid the rent for their telephones, are entitled to be left in peace?
§ Mr. BevinsTelephone calls which are made for selling or advertising purposes are not an offence under the present law. Although there may be certain cases which are offensive to certain subscribers, I think that, on the whole, we are right to encourage the use of the telephone.
§ Mr. HowellIs the Postmaster-General aware that I have received a lot of correspondence on this matter? I have had one letter from a lady who had to go into a mental home. She was pestered by the Encyclopaedia Britannica four times, asking for her husband, who had recently died. I know of many other cases. One case was referred to me by an officer of the Worcestershire Constabulary, following the same sort of lines. Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that this is a very serious hardship which is extending throughout the country and it ought to be dealt with at once, whether or not he has powers? Will he look at it again?
§ Mr. BevinsI am willing to look at it again, but provided that this sort of call is made with a reasonable sense of decency and propriety I see nothing wrong with it.
Mrs. SlaterIs the Postmaster-General aware that this is a growing practice now and that the Encyclopaedia Britannica actually rang me up and suggested that it had the support of the House? I know that it was only a girl who said that, but the fact remains that the answer which the right hon. Gentleman has given will encourage firms like this to continue to say that they have the support of the House to do it. It is a bad way of trying to sell commodities to ring up people who are paying a considerable amount by way of rent for their telephones.
§ Mr. BevinsIn a general sense, I should certainly be opposed to interference with telephone calls that are made for the purpose of selling goods. If it should turn out in certain cases that those calls are not made in a way that respects the feelings and susceptibilities of the subscriber, I am perfectly willing to do something.
§ Mr. HowellI give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.