§ MR. BROTHERTONTo ask the Postmaster-General if he can see his way to increase the time limit for trunk calls upon the telephone system of the Post Office from three to five minutes.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberlain.) Owing to the time required to obtain the connection of subscribers' exchange lines with the trunk lines, not more than about twelve conversations an hour are possible under the best conditions on any trunk line with the three minutes limit. An increase in this limit would make the lines available for fewer subscribers, and would involve a proportionate increase in the charges for their use. As about 95 per cent. of the present trunk line conversations are completed within three minutes, and as the traffic is practically confined to business hours, a general extension, such as is suggested, would clearly not be to the advantage of the public. An extension of the limit between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. from three to six minutes was made in March to encourage the use of the trunk lines at hours when hitherto they have been little used.