HC Deb 01 April 1938 vol 333 c2279W
Sir J. Mellor

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the grounds on which the tariff rate was fixed at £1 3s. quarterly for a telephone line connecting a private residence with an exchange which is within seven miles of a selected central point in Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool or Manchester, whereas the rate was fixed at £1 quarterly for a similar line elsewhere in the provinces?

Major Tryon

The higher charge for a residence line in the four towns named is based on the greater net cost of providing telephone service, including the cost of setting up telephone calls, in those areas as compared with the rest of the country outside London. Subscribers in those towns have, of course, a compensating advantage in the larger area available for local calls.