§ 123. Mr. Osborneasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that many of the farms in North Lincolnshire have been without telephone service since the snow-storms of December; and if he will allocate more materials and labour to the Lincolnshire area at once.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingThe December storms interrupted about 20,000 subscribers' lines in a wide belt across central England and Wales, including 3,500 in North Lincolnshire. Throughout this area, men not employed on essential work have been diverted to repairs, additional men have been loaned from neighbouring telephone areas, and local military units are assisting as far as practicable. The work is still proceeding at full pace and is not held up anywhere by lack of materials. In North Lincolnshire, service has now been restored to all but 39 lines.
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§ Mr. Nealasked the Postmaster-General if he proposes to make any reduction in telephone charges to subscribers in Derbyshire, whose installations have been rendered inoperative as a result of recent unfavourable weather.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingThe rental for telephone service leaves no margin for any general rebate in respect of interruptions due to storms or other causes beyond the control of the Post Office. Telephone managers, however, have authority to meet claims for rebate in cases where for any reason the interruption is exceptionally prolonged.