5. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Postmaster-General how many telephone instruments have been stolen from public call-boxes in the London area this year; and what further steps he will take by way of electric warning bells or otherwise to safeguard such public property required in emergencies.
§ 9. Mr. Gowerasked the Postmaster-General how many telephone kiosks in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, are now out of order owing to vandalism; and what new steps he will take to deal with the problem which has arisen.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterDuring January to September, 1965, about 10,000 telephone handsets have been stolen or damaged in public call-boxes in London. In England, about 2,600 out of a total of about 57,000 boxes are now out of order owing to vandalism; 60 out of 6,800 in Scotland and 110 out of 6,000 in Wales; but many of these are available for emergency use. My right hon. Friend is stepping up measures to safeguard our equipment, which in some cases include warning signals.
Mr. Gresham CookeIs it not shameful that these telephone sets should be ripped out of the boxes? It is maddening for someone wanting to make an emergency call to find an instrument unusable. Could the Post Office not install a simple form of light or bell, like a burglar alarm, which would be set off in the nearest police station if the circuit were broken by vandalism?
§ Mr. SlaterI am indebted to the hon. Gentleman and to the hon. Member for Barry (Mr. Gower) for bringing this matter to the notice of the House and giving me an opportunity to reply. Telephone kiosks cannot be made indestructible and the deplorable situation revealed by the amount of damage will eventually be overcome only when a solution is 144 found to the problem of vandalism in general. I will write to the hon. Gentleman telling him in detail of what we are doing.