HL Deb 09 April 1987 vol 486 cc1117-8

11.23 a.m.

Lord Ferrier

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, given that the telemessage service is available only to individuals who have a telephone number of their own, they will persuade the Post Office and British Telecom that telemessages should be accepted at post offices.

Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, this is entirely a commercial matter for the boards of the Post Office and British Telecom. But I understand that the Post Office would be prepared to offer British Telecom's telemessage service over post office counters. It is for the Post Office and British Telecom to agree suitable terms.

Lord Ferrier

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. I should like to inquire whether the Government have it in mind to take any steps to render this very useful service available to the man in the street.

Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, it is for British Telecom to look at this matter, not the Government, and for it to make a judgment on the basis of commercial viability. But I shall remind the chairman of British Telecom of my noble friend's concern in this matter.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, would the noble Lord not accept that the Government, which after all still have nearly half of the equity of British Telecom, are in a perfect position to instruct British Telecom to spend a minuscule part of the monopoly profits that it makes on the humanitarian service which the noble Lord asks about?

Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, in fact British Telecom operates under its licence. It is a profitable organisation—all your Lordships will be aware of that—but there are very great demands for future growth to be financed. It is run as a commercial company, of course with full regard to its licence conditions. But the Government have said that they will not interfere.

Lord Wilson of Langside

My Lords, does the Minister not think that perhaps a nod would be as good as a wink to a blind horse, and could he send a note of these exchanges to British Telecom and tell it to consider them?

Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, I have already assured my noble friend that I shall bring this matter to the attention of the chairman of British Telecom.

Viscount St. Davids

My Lords, will the noble Lord be very careful not to follow the suggestion of various noble Lords that the Government should interfere and instruct various large organisations? Did we not get rid of nationalisation exactly to prevent that?

Lord Beaverbrook

My Lords, British Telecom is run by its board, not by the Government.