HC Deb 14 May 1963 vol 677 cc1120-1
14. Mr. Ridley

asked the Postmaster-General if he will change his policy whereby he refuses telephones to would-be subscribers if it entails erecting further telephone wires.

Mr. Bevins

It is certainly not Post Office policy to refuse telephones because they entail erecting further wires. But my limited resources must be used to the greatest advantage of would-be subscribers generally, and this means that the provision of service to individuals, when expensive new construction work is required, is sometimes delayed.

Mr. Ridley

Is my right hon. Friend aware that his hon. Friend wrote to me about one of my constituents, saying that he could not have a telephone because it would entail erecting more wires, and that if his predecessors had taken that point of view nobody would have a telephone? Will he see that my constituent gets a telephone immediately?

Mr. Bevins

With respect to my hon. Friend, I think that he has ripped a phrase out of my hon. Friend's letter. My hon. Friend said that in this case the wiring would run to about 4,000 yards. May I say to my hon. Friend that the cost over and above the normal cost of providing a telephone would have been about £150. In spite of that, I have a good deal of sympathy with my hon. Friend and I will see what I can do.

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