At this time, when the Government should set an example of wanting to make for efficiency and wanting to extend the only profitable Government service in existence, the Minister has given us some hope that this capital restriction can be modified at any time. Otherwise, I would really feel inclined to recommend this side of the House to vote against the Bill. However, he has given us that assurance, and we understand, therefore, that the money can be spent more quickly, that the sum of £6,000,000 mentioned in this section of the Bill can be spent more quickly. We understand that the Department will not be prevented from planning as though the money could be spent more quickly, and that the Minister will not be placed in the position a year from now of being told that the capital stringency has become less and that the Government has a changed point of view in regard to the allocation of capital and then find that his staff is unable to replan the capital work or unable to speed up plans, because, as the Minister knows, planning for telephone networks is a long-term business.
Some of the improvements can be effected within nine or 12 months, once a decision is taken, but many of them require two years' notice, and I should like to have an assurance from the Minister that, if the money becomes available later and he is in a position to speed up the work, his officers will be able to speed it up for him before the Telephone Act actually expires, before the four years are up.
I should like to say in connection with this section that this £6,000,000 will not be spent well if the Minister is forced to have the attitude of an over-conservative 19th century company director, if he is forced to adopt the attitude of Deputy Rooney who talked just like a 19th century business director about being cautious and who said: "I think enough money is being spent," when the Minister knows perfectly well that, unless the Government sets the example of the modern type of business which, seeing difficulties, produces a better product, puts it in a better package and sells more of it against mounting depression, we will never get out of our difficulties.
The Minister has £6,000,000 to spend under this Bill, and if he is constantly to be restricted by his colleagues so that he is scared in regard to how he is going to spend the money, it will affect not only the profitability of the telephone service, but it will have an undoubted effect on the morale of the staff. The Minister has some very able young engineers, with some of whom I have had the pleasure of working—I include the chief engineer— and it is appalling for young and brilliant men to live in an atmosphere of restriction in connection with a modern scientific communication device and it is absolute madness for the Government to set that kind of example.
If we pass Section 1 of this Bill, I hope the Minister will use all his personal efforts to keep his staff interested, to keep them alive to the fact the time will come when more money will be forthcoming, to make them feel that they can go on developing. Otherwise, as I have said, we might as well go back to 1850.
