§ 41. Mr. Kenneth Bakerasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what general directions he proposes to give to the Post Office Corporation regarding the future of the telegram service.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Mr. Norman Pentland)None, Sir.
§ Mr. BakerAs the telegram service loses over £2 million a year, and as every telegram sent loses 6s., when is the Minister going to do something either to make the service more efficient or to discontinue it, apart from life and death messages?
§ Mr. PentlandIt is now for the Post Office to formulate its own plans for its own future services. Once it has done that, the Minister himself will look at it.
§ Mr. BryanWill the hon. Gentleman explain how he saw his way to answering Question No. 41, which is about the detailed operations of the Post Office, while the right hon. Gentleman refuses to answer a dozen other questions for that very reason?
§ Mr. PentlandI was asked by the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Kenneth Baker) what general direction the Minister proposed. I said, "None".