HC Deb 15 December 1965 vol 722 cc1242-3
13. Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects the telecommunication services will be able to meet all customers' requirements.

Mr. Benn

Generally the Post Office telecommunications services are meeting most customers' requirements. I shall be glad to investigate any specific shortcoming which the hon. Member would like to refer to me. Telecommunications is one of the fastest growing services in Britain today. But with a large backlog of under-investment to overtake and soaring demand it will be some years before Britain has the service it really needs.

Mr. Gilmour

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has made no attempt at all to answer my Question? If he has no idea when he will be able to satisfy the customers' demands, on what basis is he planning in his Department? Or is he not?

Mr. Benn

The position is that when I took over this office I discovered that the estimates published by the previous Government were, in the case of demand, 37 per cent. out, and, in the case of calls, 50 per cent. out within 12 months of the publication of the White Paper. I discovered that my predecessor had promised to end the waiting list by March, 1966, but, on the basis of the capital investment programme currently in operation then, it would have risen to 300,000 by March, 1969. This is why we have actually increased the capital investment programme which, in the current five years, will run at the rate of £1,200 million as compared with £900 million for the five years beginning with the 1963–64 period. I can tell the House that I am the first Postmaster-General who is not short of capital for the expansion of the services.

Mr. Mawby

The House will be pleased that the right hon. Gentleman has increased the general capital programme over the next few years, but can he assure us that this capital programme is not suffering from cuts like many other Departments at present?

Mr. Benn

I can give the hon. Gentleman this assurance which, from his previous experience, he will be glad to have, that there is to be no deferment of essential telecommunications investment, even under the announcements made by my right hon. Friend.