§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has between 1960 and 1985 made any capital grant payment to Post Office Telecommunications or its successors in order to secure due functioning of Post Office/British Telecom undertakings in the event of attack.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Department of Trade and Industry assumed responsibility for the payment of grant to the post 733W office under the Civil Defence (Posts and Telecommunications) Regulations 1971 upon the dissolution of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in 1974. Grant was paid in respect of up to 52¾per cent. of approved capital expenditure on measures taken to secure the due functioning of the post office's undertaking in the event of hostile attack. Grant was paid to British Telecom after the split of the postal and telecommunications businesses of the post office in 1981.
Prior to 1969, appropriate facilities were provided by the General Post Office as part of its general duties as a department of central Government. Between 1971 and 1974, grant was the responsibility of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.
Details of grants paid since 1974 are given in the Appropriation Accounts, which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the detailed purposes for which capital grant has been provided to British Telecom and its predecessor over the period 1978–79 to date in order to secure due functioning of its undertakings in the event of attack.
§ Mr. ButcherI regret that it would not be in the interests of national security to provide the information requested.