§ 18. Mr. Costainasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that insisting on rental payments in advance for telephone installations has the effect of rationing allocation by price; and what plans he has to alleviate this position.
§ Mr. Edward ShortTelephone rental is normally payable in advance, calls being paid in arrears. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's answer to the right hon. Member for Reigate (Sir J. Vaughan-Morgan) on 9th November.—[Vol. 753, c. 146.]
§ Mr. CostainDoes the Postmaster-General realise that I put this Question down because of the number of letters I have received, and sent on to him, from old-age pensioners who are finding this rental in advance stopping them from having telephones, that which mean so much in their lives? Will he not look at this again?
§ Mr. ShortI have a great deal of sympathy for old-age pensioners, and the hon. Member knows that we have been carrying out an experiment in Manchester recently on this. I am also, at this moment, appointing a Fellow at Essex University to look into the ways in which the Post Office could assist in communications among old people. On the general question, this is a very expensive service, and if people want it I am afraid that it must be paid for. The rental in advance was started in July, 1966, in order to restrain demand, which it has done. I have announced recently two relaxations of this, and I shall relax it further as I am able.
§ Mr. BryanHas the Postmaster-General assimilated the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a massive deflation at once and an intensified deflation as the years go by? Is he aware that this means that this advanced payment will be with us for the life of the Labour Government? Since only 18 per cent. of old-age pensioners living alone have access to a telephone, would he not think again about the chance of waiving this requirement in their case?
§ Mr. ShortIt is difficult to assimilate a fact which does not exist. The Chancellor has simply shifted resources from home consumption to export, and the hon. Gentleman knows that quite well. As to pensioners, the hon. Gentleman's party was in office for 13 years and did nothing about them. I at least am doing something.