§ 17. Mr. Kenneth Bakerasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what was the average cost and the average proceeds of a telegram in the last financial year of the Post Office Corporation.
§ Mr. ChatawayI do not have this information but the Post Office's last Annual Report and Accounts show that the service lost £2.6 million in 1969–70.
§ Mr. BakerSince the figures indicate that every telegram sent loses money for the Post Office, would my hon. Friend look again at this service, in which 90 per cent. of the telegrams are greetings telegrams or business telegrams? How can the Post Office justify that sort of telegram and make this sort of loss on the service?
§ Mr. ChatawayMy hon. Friend will appreciate that complications are involved, since there would need to be international negotiations on the international telegram service before any proposal to cease operating the telegram service could be entertained. Also to be considered is the question of the life-and-death telegram service, but the telegraph service, along with other services of the Post Office, is being looked at by the Post Office Board.