§ 20. Mr. Barnesasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is the latest estimated failure rate for all dialled telephone calls at the first dialling.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Mr. Norman Pentland)This is a matter for the Post Office.
§ Mr. BarnesIs my hon. Friend aware that in London, at least, the number of occasions on which it is necessary to dial a call several times seem to be becoming more and more frequent? If the Post Office Corporation is to increase charges to the extent contemplated, what assurance can my hon. Friend give that this margin of error can be reduced?
§ Mr. PentlandThe Post Office continues to give high priority to improving the telephone service and its quality. I shall certainly draw its attention to the comments made by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourIs the hon. Member aware that the figures issued by the Post Office bear no relation to the every 12 day experience of the ordinary telephone user?
§ Mr. PentlandThe statistic to which my hon. Friend has referred and in respect of which he required an answer is not given in Post Office publications. The Post Office Report and Accounts for 1968–69 give only the percentage of calls ineffective due to the system, and not whether or not they were first attempts.
§ Mr. Frank AllaunIs my hon. Friend aware that one of the factors which are causing wrong numbers is the system of all-figure numbers, which millions of people, especially elderly people, find very difficult to remember? Can my hon. Friend see that this system is restricted to exchanges that cannot use the old system of letters?
§ Mr. PentlandI could not do that offhand. That is an entirely different question. If my hon. Friend will put down a Question on that subject I shall be glad to look into it.