§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that on the denationalisation of British Telecom no telephone kiosks will be removed in rural areas of Scotland including the Banff and Buchan district of the Grampian region.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Government's telecommunications policy is designed to promote and safeguard the interests of all consumers in the United Kingdom including, in particular, those in rural areas.
It has never been the case that no call box can ever be removed. There exists at present arrangements agreed between British Telecom and the Post Office Users' National Council governing withdrawal of the least-used call boxes. The licence under which British Telecom will operate in future continue these arrangements but with stronger safeguards for the consumer.