§ Mr. Kenneth Bakerasked the Postmaster-General if he will provide specimen income and expenditure accounts for the telecommunications side of the Post Office, drawn up on the basis of the same depreciation arrangements as are employed by a telephone rental company, details of whose arrangements have been sent to him.
§ Mr. StonehouseThe depreciation arrangements of the telephone rental company are much the same as those of the Post Office. Provision is made on a straight line basis, at rates designed to cover the cost of assets within the estimated life of those assets. The only major difference is that the Post Office makes a supplementary provision, as shown in Note 6 to the 1967–68 Post Office Accounts. With the exception of this provision (£22 million in 1967–68) the accounts of the Post Office if drawn up on the basis suggested would be the same as those already published.