§ Mr. Gammansasked the Postmaster-General the number of telegraph messages sent through the Post Office for the years 1932–33 and onwards to the latest available date, together with the surplus or loss in each year attributable to the telegraph service.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingThe numbers of telegrams transmitted by the Post Office and the excess of expenditure (after charging interest on capital) over income as shown by the Post Office Telegraph Commercial Accounts, for the eight years to 31st March, 1940 are:
— Numbers of telegrams. Deficit. £ 1932–33 … … 45,500,000 838,301 1933–34 … … 45,500,000 653,591 1934–35 … … 44,000,000 651,235 1935–36 … … 53,000,000 797,975 1936–37 … … 58,500,000 669,003 1937–38 … … 58,500,000 776,479 1938–39 … … 59,500,000 823,320 1939–40 … … 64,000,000 550,994 The preparation and presentation of commercial accounts was suspended during the war and will only be resumed with the accounts for 1947–48, but approximate and unaudited accounts on a simplified basis have been compiled for Departmental use.
The numbers of telegrams transmitted and the approximate deficits incurred since 1939–40 are:
— Numbers of telegrams. Deficit. £ 1940–41 … … 61,500,000 439,000 1941–42 … … 67,000,000 252,000 1942–43 … … 75,500,000 69,000 1943–44 … … 70,500,000 158,000 1944–45 … … 71,000,000 100,000 1945–46 … … 75,500,000 38,000 1946-47 … … 63,500,000 2,200,000 (provisional)