§ 1. Mr. Fisherasked the Postmaster-General whether he will now consider the installation of public telephones on private premises, as suggested by the Telephone Users Association, in order to combat telephone kiosk vandalism.
§ 50. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for the provision of small portable public telephones of the kind used abroad, such as the Japanese red telephones.
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. Anthony Wedgwood Benn)I have put in hand the development of a small and attractive portable coin box telephone with full STD facilities. It might be a public telephone or be rented by a subscriber for general use.
382 The possibility of using small coin box telephones similar to those in use in Japan is being investigated.
§ Mr. FisherAs now about 25 per cent. of our public telephones are out of action due to vandalism, and as the installation of public telephones in private premises has been, I understand, a success in Australia and Japan, will the Postmaster-General consider extending this experiment here rather further as a way of giving better protection against vandalism to public property and also, if I may say so, of destroying the profit motive for vandalism?
§ Mr. BennThe problem of vandalism is very much in our minds in reaching a decision, but, as the hon. Member knows, there are 120,000 rented call boxes already in existence, and these at present meet that sort of need.
§ Mrs. ShortI thank my right hon. Friend very much for his Answer, but may I ask whether these small telephone boxes will be suitable for shops and hotels; and also whether there is likely to be some financial incentive to encourage people to install them?
§ Mr. BennThe objective is certainly to meet the need my hon. Friend has mentioned, and the financial arrangements would be designed to make them attractive as well.