Sir J. HOPEasked the Postmaster-General (1) the total number of telephone instruments used on the public service, either by Government Departments or officials, in 1913 and at the present time, for which no actual money payment is made to the Post Office;
297W(2) whether under the proposed new-rate of telephone charges other Government Departments will be debited at a flat rate per instrument used, or whether they will be debited with the same charge per call as the general public?
§ Sir H. NORMANasked the Postmaster-General how many telephones are installed in Government offices; if there is a record of the number of official calls during any period; if so, what is this number; if payment is credited to the Post Office for this service; if so, what sums have been so credited during any recent accounting period; whether the new charges will apply to this service; and, if no charge is made, can he give an approximate estimate of the cost to the Post Office of the official service?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThe telephone service is duly credited for all lines and instruments used and calls made by Government Departments, and those credits are shown in the annual published accounts. They amounted to £64,347, in 1913–14 and £1,023,703 in 1919–20, the latter figure including the rentals for a number of circuits which had not been surrendered at the beginning of the financial year. The estimated credit for 1920–21 is £520,000. The credits are assessed at the ordinary tariff rates, and will therefore be calculated on the message-rate basis, as soon as the new rates become operative. I regret that Government instruments and calls are not shown separately in the statistical records, and the numbers could only be compiled by great expenditure of labour