HC Deb 03 July 1957 vol 572 c113W
61. Wing Commander Bullus

asked the Postmaster-General why the private telephone subscriber has to be debited with any necessary 999 emergency call when such calls made from public telephone boxes are free.

Mr. K. Thompson

Logically, a charge should be made in both cases. But finding coins could mean delay in an emergency, and for that reason emergency calls from public telephone boxes have, for many years, been allowed free of charge.