HL Deb 15 June 1966 vol 275 cc60-1

2.54 p.m.

LORD FORBES

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether steps will be taken to provide more than one public telephone at Dyce Airport, the airport for Aberdeen.]

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, some of the business that used to be transacted on the public telephone at Dyce Airport has recently been transferred to a newly installed private telephone on the Airport, and this is already having the effect of leaving the public telephone more readily available for airport passengers. My right honourable friend the Postmaster General agreed on May 5 that if after this action there was still a need for an additional public telephone at the airport arrangements would be made to provide one; but it is a little early yet to assess the changed position, although I know the noble Lord has had some difficulty. I would ask him to leave the matter a little longer for my right honourable friend to consider. If another is required it certainly will be provided.

LORD FORBES

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for his reply, but might I ask him whether this will be reconsidered very quickly. Does he realise that between 6 p.m. and 6.40 p.m. there are no less than one Viscount plane discharging personnel, another loading, and also a Herald aircraft with passengers in transit, so that 150 passengers or more are there, excluding the spectators? Does the noble Lord really think that one public telephone is adequate to deal with that number?

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord and myself and everyone else will appreciate that sign of the increased prosperity of the airport. But, apart from that, I assure the noble Lord that I will bring his points to the attention of the Postmaster General. However, I think he will also bear in mind the fact that each of these telephone kiosks needs to take about £350 a year to pay its way, and the one at Dyce Airport brings in only about £200. This is not the only consideration, but it is one of the factors which has to be borne in mind.