§ Mr. Gammansasked the Postmaster-General the average cost per local telephone call in Great Britain for 1937 and for the latest date for which figures are available, together with such comparable figures for other countries as are in his possession.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingThe average cost of a minimum distance local telephone call in 1937 was estimated to be approximately 1¼d. An investigation of the current costs is now in hand but the results are not yet available. No information is in my possession as regards comparable costs in other countries. I should perhaps add that the cost varies appreciably according to the type of exchange, the size and nature of the area covered and the number of exchanges within that area. The assessment of cost104W also involves apportionment of the substantial costs of staff and plant common to local, toll and trunk telephone services and the telegraph service.