HC Deb 12 March 1973 vol 852 cc871-2
10. Mr. Atkinson

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will issue a general instruction to the Post Office to establish that priority over private installations be given to the installation of public canopy type booths in residential blocks of council flats.

Sir J. Eden

No, Sir.

Mr. Atkinson

Will the Minister reconsider that answer? As it is very unlikely that every household in the country will have a telephone before the end of the century, is there not a need to give priority to the installation of public telephones, particularly on council housing estates where there are large blocks of flats, many of which have no telephones? Will he ask the Post Office to open discussions with local authorities—first, giving priority to the installation of telephones and, secondly, asking municipal architects to incorporate within their designs provision for public telephones?

Sir J. Eden

That must be a matter for the owners of the premises concerned, because it would add to the cost of the installation. The Post Office would naturally wish to promote the hiring or rental of coin-operated telephones, but it places call boxes in as central a position as it can devise to ensure that large numbers of people have access to them, and therefore that the call boxes are a more paying proposition than they would otherwise be.

Mr. Edward Taylor

Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is a special problem in multi-storey flats? Will he give an assurance that if a local authority wishes to install public telephone kiosks in the foyer of such flats the Post Office will give them priority?

Sir J. Eden

That is a matter for negotiation between the local authority and the Post Office.

Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

Is the Minister aware that there are two problems associated with the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson)? First, there is the problem of the number of people in multi-storey blocks of flats who do not have, and cannot obtain, a telephone. There is the allied problem of vandalism in a number of areas. Some of us strongly believe that if there were telephones of the type my hon. Friend suggested in multi-storey blocks of flats, under the care of a caretaker, that would be to the advantage of everyone concerned.

Sir J. Eden

Vandalism is an important aspect, but the House should be under no illusion about the cost of installing hooded or other telephone boxes in separate blocks of flats. Not only would there be an additional £5 connection charge and £10 annual rental, but the hoods would cost about £25 each.