§ Sir R. Russellasked the Postmaster-General if he will give further details of the bad debts and abandoned claims, totalling 19,675 cases, which cost £737,008 during the year 1964–65; and what steps were taken to recover this money.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterAbout 19,000 of the cases were bad debts, totalling about £712,000, due mainly to unpaid telephone bills, and often associated with bankruptcy. The abandoned claims were largely from accidental damage to our plant.
We do everything within reason to trace people who owe us money and to recover it, legal action being taken when appropriate. We stop only when we are satisfied that no further effort is worthwhile.