asked the Postmaster-General what would be the cost per telephone to fit all new telephones on the subscriber trunk dialling system with a meter which will readily indicate the charge for each call as it accrues, together with the cumulative total.

Even on the basis of universal provision, rather than, as at present, provision on request, the cost could not be substantially less than the present rental of £4 a year per telephone.

Does my right lion. Friend accept that there would be no great technical difficulty in installing in a telephone some kind of meter? While recognising the advantage of the S.T.D. scheme, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he feels that this would be of some advantage to householders in keeping check of expenditure on the telephone?

Yes, I think it might be advantageous to householders in checking telephone expenditure, but I am bound to say that only about ¼ per cent. of people on S.T.D. have applied for the use of these meters.