Mr. DOYLEasked the Postmaster-General the amount of the loss on the working of the Post Office and telephones, respectively, for the year 1919?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHthe commercial accounts for the financial year 1919–20 are not yet available in respect of the Postal and Telegraph Services, but it is anticipated that the profit on the former will be more than set off by the loss on the latter. As regards the Telephone Service it is estimated that there will be a deficit of £1,750,000 after allowing for interest on capital amounting to £880,000. It should be borne in mind that the figures for the above year will furnish no criterion of the present state of Post Office finance as very large increases of pay were granted to the staff of which a proportion only fell into the year's accounts; while on the other hand in the present year additional revenue will be obtained from the increases in rates announced in the Budget Speech.