§ 28. Mr. Whiteheadasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will give a general direction to the Post Office to reduce the rental charged for hospital trolley telephone service points, bearing in mind that such costs are often met by outside charitable concerns.
§ Sir J. EdenNo, Sir. This particular charge is a management matter for the Post Office.
§ Mr. WhiteheadIn the Derby area we have a league of hospital friends which is charged £13.80 per quarter per point for this service, so that if four wards were serviced with one point in each 412 the cost would be about £54 per quarter, or £220 per year. Will the right hon. Gentleman represent to the Post Office that it should lay on the facility not as a profiteering service but as a social and welfare service?
§ Sir J. EdenThere is no question of profiteering. The Post Office has to cover its costs. The hon. Gentleman will recognise that a coin-box telephone service is usually available in hospitals, and the additional service to which he refers is not very frequently used during the course of a day. However, I shall certainly take note of what he has said.