§ 23. Dr. Kingasked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many telephones were put out of commission in the recent storms and floods; and how many of these have been repaired to the nearest available date.
§ Mr. GammansRather more than 70,000 telephones were put out of order in the recent storms and floods, over 60,000 of them being in Wales and the South-West of England, and nearly 200 small exchanges were temporarily isolated. All recorded faults arising from storm damage have now been cleared. I should like to take this opportunity of thanking the engineering staff who have worked so hard to complete this great task.
§ Dr. KingEveryone in the House will wish to be associated with that tribute which the Minister has paid to the engineers. Since his answers to this and the last Question show that the Post Office engineers are giving him unstinted and loyal service, will he not now generously reconsider the claim which they are making for a revaluation of their highly-skilled engineering work in the Post Office?
§ Mr. GammansThe hon. Member has asked an entirely different question. We have become accustomed to unstinted service from the Post Office engineers over many, many years.