§ Mr. Tom Kingasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what evidence there is of the impact on telephone usage of 364W the tariff increases introduced earlier in the year;
(2) how any reduction of telephone usage compares with the assumptions made by the Post Office when proposing the latest increased tariffs.
§ Mr. Gregor MackenzieWe have spoken with the Post Office, which points out that it is too early to judge the impact of the recent tariff increases. Moreover, it is clear that demand for telephone services is also being affacted by the state of the economy in general. Subject to these reservations, its judgment is that the impact of the tariff increases has been substantially as was assumed when the increases were proposed.