§ 44. Mr. John Leeasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will issue a general direction to the Post Office to speed up the development of Subscriber trunk dialling.
§ Mr. StonehouseNo. The development of subscriber trunk dialling is very satisfactory; it is now available to 61 million subscribers.
§ Mr. LeeWhile accepting that progress has been pretty satisfactory over the last few years, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he can say that this programme is gathering momentum, or whether he thinks it is carrying on at the same level of progress as in the last few years?
§ Mr. StonehouseThe Post Office tells me that it is proposing to extend the S.T.D. service so that some 86 per cent. of subscribers will be able to use it by the end of this year. So the momentum is going on, and there is no doubt that, increasingly, business subscribers, and subscribers generally, appreciate it.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsIs the Minister aware that only very unsatisfactory progress is being made in Derbyshire, and that I have made representations to him about the Parwich exchange which is still in the old-fashioned style? Can he give me any idea when it will be converted to S.T.D., and the hope that it will be soon?
§ Mr. StonehouseI cannot say off the cuff whether this one is being converted this year, but I will make inquiries and ask the Post Office to let the hon. Member know.