§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General for what reason he is now demanding from a selected number of Her Majesty's subjects a money deposit as a condition precedent to the provision of telephone services; what is the basis of selection of persons required to make such a money deposit; and what preliminary inquiries are made as to what, and by whom.
§ Mr. MarplesThe reasons are given in Regulation 40 of the Telephone Regulations, 1957. It has always been the practice to require the payment of a deposit when this is considered necessary as security for the payment of telephone charges. The accounts are rendered in arrear, and at present involve credit for up to three months' rental and up to six months' call charges. The question whether to ask for a deposit in an individual case must be left to the judgment of the local telephone manager and his staff.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General to what extent a special undertaking is given to persons who are required to make a financial deposit as a condition precedent to the installation of a telephone that the instrument will not be a subject of telephone tapping.
§ Mr. MarplesNo considerations other than financial enter into the matter.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General to what extent it is his policy, when a financial deposit has been paid in advance to procure the installation of a telephone by a person, firm, or institution, of whose political, moral, or financial stability the Post Office is in doubt, to make repayment when the doubts have been removed.
§ Mr. MarplesStanding instructions authorise the repayment of deposits where bills are paid promptly. As regards the considerations justifying the payment of deposits I would refer the hon. Member18W to my replies to his other Questions on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General in how many cases deposits have been asked for in advance as a condition precedent to the installation of a telephone during the period of twelve months to the most recent convenient date; and how many persons have been refused a telephone after having refused to pay a deposit.
§ Mr. MarplesIn about 6,000 cases out of about 600,000 new connections. No record is kept of applications withdrawn when a deposit is requested, but it is known that the number is very small.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General the amount of the minimum and maximum deposit required by the Post Office to be paid as a condition precedent to the installation of a telephone in the period of twelve months to the most recent convenient date.
§ Mr. MarplesMinimum and maximum deposits are not prescribed. The amount required to give reasonable security is a matter for judgment by the telephone manager in the circumstances of the individual case.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General what rate of interest is paid to telephone subscribers on the deposits which they have paid in connection with the telephone service.
§ Mr. MarplesNone.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a number of one-man firms have been disconnected from the telephone service for failure to pay accounts during the annual holidays, and subsequently required to make a deposit; and whether he will give instructions to suspend this practice.
§ Mr. MarplesA deposit would not be required in such circumstances. If the hon. Member has information in the contrary sense, and will furnish details, I will be glad to make inquiry.