Captain TUDOR-REESasked the Postmaster-General why and upon what authority a charge of £4, plus the usual transfer fee of 5s., is made when a new tenant takes over premises in which a telephone is installed if such tenant desires his name substituted for the previous subscriber's in the telephone directory?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHAs stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury on the 17th November, the reason for the surcharge on each new contract for an exchange line is the fact that the annual rental and fees for telephone service under the current pre-war tariff are too low to cover the expenses in present conditions. The fee of 5s. is not payable when a surcharge is collected, and, if in any case both fees have been demanded, the definite instructions issued on this point have been overlooked.