§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he intends that the Office of Telecommunications should have the power to introduce a two-tier scale of telephone charges with more expensive charging in rural areas; and what is his policy towards such an arrangement.
§ Mr. ButcherThere is no evidence that it is more expensive to provide telephone services in rural areas or that higher charges in rural areas would be justified. I am exploring with the chairman of British Telecommunications proposals for ensuring that local telephone call and rental charges will be uniform throughout the country. The licence to be issued to BT will in any case forbid BT to discriminate unduly against any group of customers including rural customers.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if, upon the passing of the British Telecommunications Bill, he will make it his policy to require the Office of Telecommunications to have equal regard to social as to the economic criteria in considering the future of rural telephone boxes.
§ Mr. ButcherI intend the licence to be issued to British Telecommunications to oblige BT to continue to provide the existing network of public call boxes. Withdrawal of any call box will only be permitted under arrangements agreed by the Director General of Telecommunications and, when considering such issues, the Director will be under a duty to follow the guidelines22W in clause 3 of the Telecommunications Bill. These guidelines, about which I intend to introduce amendments on Report, cover both social and economic considerations since they require him to have regard to the need for services to be provided in rural areas and for call boxes to be provided to meet all reasonable demands for them.