Telephone Costs (Hansard, 23 October 1989)

§ Mr. John Marshall
To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the annual cost to public funds of the House of Commons telephone system.

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Geoffrey Howe)
The figures for the Palace of Westminster for the past three years are given in appendix I of the first report of the Services Committee of this Session. These indicate an average charge for telephone services over that period of £1,434,125 per annum. Of that sum the average call charges for each year were £505,163. This House pays some 86 per cent. of the total bill, and, on that basis, the cost to public funds of those telephone services attributable to the House are £1,233,348 and £434,440, respectively.

§ Mr. Marshall
Will my right hon. and learned Friend confirm that a switch to Mercury could save the taxpayer between £50,000 and £75,000? Does my right hon. and learned Friend, whose policies of controlling Government expenditure and fostering competition formed the basis of our economic success in the early 1980s, agree that such a change would bring a worthwhile saving?

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
I am more than content to accept the tribute offered by my hon. Friend. I remind him that when considering the precise proposals for making economies in public expenditure, one must consider not only the short, medium and long-term effects but the effects of changes proposed or made on the economy that one has in mind. All those matters were considered by the Services Committee in its report published earlier this year. It had reservations about the effect of the change at this stage on the quality and reliability of the service, the ease and speed with which faults might be reported and rectified, and the effect on the traditional relationship with the supplier, British Telecom. The matter can be reconsidered but it was fully examined by the Committee and the Sub-Committee.

§ Mr. Winnick
When international conferences take place in which this country is actively involved, is there not a case for right hon. and hon. Members being able to telephone, in this case, the Prime Minister, to tell her that her action has been disgraceful and deceitful. As a former Foreign Secretary ——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. That has little to do with this Question. Did I hear the hon. Member use the word "deceitful"? If so, will he withdraw it? I ask him to withdraw that allegation against the Prime Minister.

§ Mr. Winnick
I understood that it is a question for the Prime Minister and the House of Commons ——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I ask the hon. Member to withdraw the word "deceitful".

§ Mr. Winnick
Other Commonwealth Prime Ministers have echoed what I have said. [Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I am not concerned about the context. Will the hon. Member kindly withdraw that word? He knows that it is unparliamentary.

§ Mr. Winnick
The position—[Interruption.] If I am allowed to speak ——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman knows that this is taking time out of Question Time. Will he kindly withdraw that word, please?

§ Mr. Winnick
I have said that I believe that the Prime Minister has been deceitful—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I give the hon. Gentleman one final chance. Withdraw the word, please.

§ Mr. Winnick
If you, Mr. Speaker, wish me to withdraw since I am not allowed to use that word in the House of Commons, obviously I will do so.

§ Mr. Thurnham
Does my right hon. and learned Friend have any information about the number of fax machines that are connected to the telephone system? Will he ensure that no list of their numbers is published so that we do not get any junk fax on our fax machines.

§ Sir Geoffrey Howe
My hon. friend is right to draw attention to the fact that fax machines are playing a growing part in the communications system of the House of Commons. There are apparently about 135 lines now installed expressly for that purpose. I cannot go beyond that information at this stage.