§ 41. Captain Marsdenasked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in order to accelerate telephone calls for police assistance, he will substitute the call number of 111 for the existing number of 999 in the Metropolitan Police area.
§ Mr. BurkeNo, Sir. The change suggested would save less than three seconds in dialling time and has overriding drawbacks, one of which is that a caller at a kiosk, or a subscriber with a coin box telephone, would have to put 2d. in the coin box before he could dial the police in an emergency.
§ Captain MarsdenIs the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that a few days ago there was broadcast, through the B.B.C., an appeal saying that every second counted? Is he aware that in the test I made it took not three seconds but eight seconds, and that was in daylight when one is calm and collected? At night time, with a robber in the house, it would take considerably longer. Will he overcome these ridiculous technical difficulties, and go into this matter for the benefit and protection of the citizen, and to bring about a quicker apprehension of the criminal?
§ Mr. BurkeThe time that might be saved in dialling 111 would be lost in putting in the twopence. The mechanical changes necessary would be enormous, and the Secretary of the Metropolitan Police has asked us to keep to 999 because it is so generally well known.
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeIs the Assistant Postmaster-General aware of the number of disgraceful bogus calls made on 999? We do not Want any encouragement of the same thing being done in dialling 111.