§ 25. Viscount Hinchingbrookeasked the Assistant Postmaster-General what categories of Government official and what classes of private subscriber are registered as entitled to priority trunk calls; and whether he will extend this concession to Members of Parliament telephoning to their constituents from their offices and private residences.
§ Mr. BurkeGovernment officials and private persons and firms registered as entitled to priority for trunk calls consist of individuals sponsored by a Government Department as engaged in duties which need such priority in the national interest. The use of the priority service has now much declined and less than 1 per cent. of trunk calls are booked as priority; most of these would be connected without delay in any case. The Postmaster-General therefore proposes to abolish the priority lists as from 1st January, 1946, retaining machinery for giving priority when necessary in exceptional circumstances to calls concerning public emergencies. In the circumstances the second part of the Question will not arise.