§ Captain Orrasked the Postmaster-General what has been the British investment in trans-Atlantic telephone cables to date; what percentage of the total investment this British contribution represents; what has been the British income from this investment: and what percentage this income is of the total revenue.
§ Mr. BevinsBritish investment so far in trans-Atlantic telephone cables is £7.5 million, this being a half share in the cable laid in 1956 linking the United Kingdom with Canada and the United States. The only other existing trans-Atlantic telephone cable is one linking France with the United States. There is no British investment in that cable, but the United Kingdom will have a half share in a cable to Canada to be laid in 1961 and a cable to the United States to be laid in 1963, and also a 25 per cent. share in a United Kingdom/Iceland cable to be laid in 1961.
The total British revenue from the 1956 cable and the associated radio facilities has amounted to £7.9 million. The information asked for in the last part of my hon. Friend's Question is, I regret to say, not available.