§ Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated loss, expressed as a sum of money, beyond which he refuses to provide a public telephone kiosk; how many kiosks exceed this loss in the seven Highlands and Islands counties; and how many throughout Scotland, Wales and England, respectively.
§ Mr. BevinsThere is no fixed standard of profit or loss governing the provision of a new telephone kiosk, since public need and other local factors are taken into account. It is, therefore, impossible to give numbers on the basis suggested by the hon Member in the latter part of his Question. On average a telephone kiosk must take £250 a year to defray cost.
§ Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Postmaster-General to what extent considerations of financial loss are disregarded in respect of the provision and maintenance of public telephone kiosks in order to enable the telephone service to play its full part in implementing the policy of Her Majesty's Government of sustaining and retaining the population in the more distant Highlands and Islands areas; and why the strict rule of refusing new kiosks within two miles of existing kiosks is now being applied in the Western Isles, regardless of the special difficulties of the terrain, climate and the lack of public transport.
§ Mr. BevinsI try to provide telephone kiosks in accordance with public needs, and with due regard to financial considerations. I do not think the hon. 103W Member is correct in suggesting that the two-mile rule is now being applied any differently from the way it has been applied in the past, and that full weight is not given to the special factors he mentions.