§ 2.35 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking any steps to bring the teleprinter services that may be rented from the Post Office into line with modern conditions.]
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, I am glad to say that the Post Office will soon be able to offer a new unified "telex" service giving communication through teleprinter exchanges with subscribers in this country and in many countries overseas. This will supersede both the present inland "telex" service—which provides limited intercommunication by teleprinter in this country—and the quite separate international "telex" service. It will 192 allow all subscribers to make both inland and international calls. Some increase in rental charges will be necessary, because of rising costs, but the new combined service will give better value and should be a real help to commerce and industry. Charges for communication over private circuits will, be rationalised at the same time. I hope that this simplification will make it possible to meet applications very much more quickly.
The shortage of equipment has now been largely overcome, and the delay in providing teleprinter services on this account has already been considerably reduced. Existing "telex" renters will be connected to the new service as soon as it opens, and we shall then be ready to connect new subscribers. The new "telex" rental will be £160 a year for a line up to thirty miles from a "telex" centre, including one teleprinter, and the charges for inland trunk calls will be reduced to roughly half the corresponding call charge. The charges for international calls remain as at present. They vary from 4s. to £3 for three minutes, according to the country concerned. The new "telex" service will, I hope, be opened in the autumn, and the new charges will not come into force till then.