HC Deb 06 April 1967 vol 744 cc436-7
5 and 6. Mr. Moonman

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will invite both management and the trade unions involved in the telephone service to consider with him the recent international survey of these services by the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs, a copy of which has been sent to him;

(2) what study he has made of the proposals for improving the telephone service contained in the recent international survey by the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs, a copy of which has been sent to him; and what action he will take to implement these proposals.

Mr. Edward Short

I have examined the survey with interest. Indeed I have my own battered copy here. I do not necessarily accept all its conclusions—particularly those based on comparisons with other countries. There is machinery for staff consultation about the service, and special arrangements are therefore not necessary.

Mr. Moonman

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Will he consider the possibility of making further inquiries with regard to those sections of the report dealing with the quality of the service and the failure rate of both manual trunk calls, which is considered to be 15 per cent., and S.T.D. trunk calls, which is 21 per cent? This is shocking.

Mr. Short

There is a great deal more to it than that, but improving the quality of the service is one of our main preoccupations on the telecommunications side of our business.