§ 57. Mr. WATTasked the Postmaster-General whether he has received complaints of the delays on the telephonic communication between Glasgow and London, these delays often lasting as long as two hours; is he aware that the reply of his Department always is that they are due to military and Government messages; and will he adopt in future the method of sending some of these Government messages by telegraph, so as to facilitate as far as can be the commerce of the country
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Illingworth)Ordinary calls between London and Glasgow are subject to somewhat heavy delay, mainly owing to the large number of urgent Government calls, and 1831 in some measure to interruptions through adverse weather conditions. Only urgent Government business receives priority, and every effort is being made to reduce the length of calls to a minimum. A large number of Government messages is already transmitted by telegraph, and I feel justified in assuming that this method of communication is made use of whenever public requirements can be satisfied thereby.
§ Mr. WATTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that complaints of the telephonic service have multiplied tenfold since this Government came into power