§ LORD KILMANYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received representations from the Telephone Users' Association regarding the proposed increase in telephone charges, and what action is being taken in the matter.]
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications received a letter from the Telephone Users' Association on April 11. He has suggested that any comments the Association may have on the proposed increase in telephone charges should be sent to the Post Office Users' National Council, which is the properly constituted body set up by Act of Parliament to represent users' interests, and I see from the Guardian of April 21 that they are going to see those people. Alternatively, the Telephone Users' Association may care to approach the Post Office direct.
§ LORD KILMANYMy Lords, arising out of that reply, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that these increased telephone charges are going to hit old people of moderate means living in remote areas particularly hard? May I also ask what steps the Government, as opposed to the Post Office, intend to take to lessen the impact of these charges on those persons?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, this is a matter for the Ministry of Health and Social Security. We have nothing to do with that; nor can we interfere with what 854 the Post Office decides the charges should be.
§ LORD BLYTONMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the profitable side of the Post Office is the telephone? Is he also aware that the Tory Party are all talking about handing this service over to private enterprise? Would not the charges be worse then?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, if my noble friend would look at the position of the Bell Telephone Company in New York he will find that the directors—25 of them—have been prosecuted for mal-administration, and so on.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that a number of poor per-sons and those who are disabled in the highest degree, including some blind people, may receive help towards the cost of a telephone under a Bill now passing through this House, and that the said persons are grateful to the promoters, the Government and Parliament for giving this consideration?
§ LORD BOWLESI thank the noble Lord.
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Bowles, said that the last supplementary question from behind me should have been addressed to the Ministry of Health and Social Security, but questions in this House are asked of Her Majesty's Government. Surely Her Majesty's Government have equal responsibility for the Ministry of Health and Social Security as they have for the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, I have no responsibility for the Ministry of Health and Social Security here.
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, I think I am right in saying—and the noble Lord the Leader of the House will put me right if I am wrong—that questions in this House are asked not of an individual Minister but of Her Majesty's Government. Therefore, a question which possibly should have been addressed to somebody responsible for the Ministry of Health and Social Security can equally be answered by Her Majesty's Government in this House.
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, I think the noble Lord is quite right in his statement that Ministers answer on behalf of the Government. There are some times when Ministers find that a supplementary question goes beyond the area in which he is particularly well informed.