Oral Answers to Questions — Telephone Service – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 December 1963.
Mr Frank Hayman
, Falmouth and Camborne
12:00,
18 December 1963
asked the Postmaster-General to what extent he continues to pay regard to non-commercial considerations in the provision and siting of public telephone kiosks.
Mr Reginald Bevins
, Liverpool Toxteth
I have regard both to public amenity and to public finance. It is rare for a telephone kiosk to be refused where there is a clear need for one. At the same time there is a limit to what we can do in view of our current loss of more than £3 million a year on public kiosks.
Mr Frank Hayman
, Falmouth and Camborne
Can the Minister indicate by what percentage the provision of public telephone kiosks is less now than it was, say, five years ago?
Mr Reginald Bevins
, Liverpool Toxteth
On the contrary, the provision of kiosks has not fallen but has increased, and we have about 75,000 kiosks throughout the country, which is very substantially greater than in any other European country.
Mr Fred Blackburn
, Stalybridge and Hyde
Will the Postmaster-General add to the 75,000 and make it 75,001 by putting one on the Wood head Road near where the former hon. Member for Rotherham was killed?
Mr Reginald Bevins
, Liverpool Toxteth
I will take note of that and see what I can do.
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