§ Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the Postmaster-General whether, with a view to encouraging the increased use of telephones, he will consider abolishing installation charges and annual rentals of instruments in all cases where prospective subscribers indicate a preference for a higher scale of call charges as an alternative?
§ Mr. ATTLEEThe Post Office (unlike many other telephone administrations) makes no installation charge when providing telephone service. As regards the suggested abolition of rental charges, I1926W am unable to adopt this proposal, which would mean in effect that all subscribers making few calls only would be heavily subsidised at the expense of subscribers making extensive use of the telephone service. So far as I am aware, no telephone undertaking offers service on such terms.