§ 20. Sir W. Bromley-Davenportasked the Postmaster-General whether he will inquire from his independent psychological advisers whether, if a vowel as well as a consonant were inserted against each number on the telephone dial, telephone users could evolve for themselves telephone numbers of three letters and four figures which would be more easily memorised than seven numbers.
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. Edward Short)No, Sir. As there are ten figures and five vowels, each vowel would have to appear twice, and this would cause confusion.
§ Sir W. Bromley-DavenportDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise how terribly difficult it is for anyone to remember these seven-figure telephone numbers? Is it not possible to devise some simpler method? Can the right hon. Gentleman say with his hand on his heart, or whatever it is that he has there—perhaps a block of ice—how many old telephone numbers he can remember under the present system? [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Questions must be brief.
§ Mr. ShortThe hon. and gallant Gentleman must not judge everybody else by his own capacity. These numbers are certainly more difficult to remember, but we have no option in the matter; we have to develop as the rest of the world is developing, on all-figure numbers.