HL Deb 09 December 1986 vol 482 cc1074-5

2.50 p.m.

Lord Campbell of Croy

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will encourage the police to co-operate more closely with British Telecom in detecting and apprehending thieves who attempt to break open the coin boxes of public telephones.

The Minister of State, Home Office (The Earl of Caithness)

My Lords, police forces already work closely with British Telecom to detect and apprehend those who seek to steal from the cash boxes of public payphones. In the first six months of 1986, 500 prosecutions were brought against persons alleged to have committed offences involving theft from or damage to public payphones.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that welcome reply. Is he aware that telephones in rural areas are tempting to thieves and vandals but that these are the telephones which more than most are needed by local communities?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, equally, inner-city telephones have proved to be a temptation to vandals. One of the factors that British Telecom is trying to emphasise at the moment is the value of the public payphone system to the local community.

Lord Parry

My Lords, has the Minister ever considered siting these telephones not in isolated boxes but in public utility buildings which are paid for already by the taxpayers and accessible to them?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, I am sure that British Telecom considered that point, but I shall make sure it is made aware of the noble Lord's comments.

Lord Airedale

My Lords, is part of the answer to this problem an extension of the cashless society through the phonecard system which is being urged upon us by British Telecom and in which no coins are involved?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, I wish that the answer was as simple as that. However, I am able to tell the House that the number of phonecard telephones which have no cash boxes is increasing steadily and currently stands at some 5,000.

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, will the noble Earl tell us whether he is aware of any research that is taking place in order to make the pay boxes much more secure than they are now? Does he agree that at present they are a temptation to those who perpetrate these crimes and break into them? Is there room for research into this?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, I understand that considerable research has taken place, and the results are appearing in the building of booths in a new style and the introduction of equipment that is more resistant to vandalism. Important new features of payphones are improved lighting, open plan design, tough construction materials and telephones which report automatically when cash boxes need to be emptied. The research is paying dividends.

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, will the noble Earl note that he has embarrassed me totally by his reply.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, further to the question put by the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, is my noble friend aware of a case in point, which is the phone box near my home in a rural area of Northern Scotland that clearly had been attacked with nothing less than a crowbar and the whole coin box removed?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, the amount of vandalism varies from area to area and from person to person.