§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Air what services are covered by the sum of £4,265,000 included in the Post Office Estimates for 1951–52 in respect of telephone services for his Department.
§ Mr. A. HendersonThis sum is a broad estimate of the value of telephone and teleprinter services to be made available, not only to the Air Ministry itself, but to all Royal Air Force units in the United Kingdom. It also includes the estimated value of facilities provided for the meteorological service and for the air traffic control system which is operated in conjunction with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Roughly 80 per cent., amounting to £3,400,000, of the provision represents the estimated rental values of the extensive system of private lines and exchanges which must be maintained to meet the operational and administrative needs of the Royal Air Force. The rest is mainly for telephone calls made through normal Post Office channels.