HC Deb 02 November 1970 vol 805 cc654-6
20. Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office to initiate a radio, television and Press campaign to advise telephone subscribers to check that when they have replaced their telephone after making a subscriber trunk dialling call they are actually disconnected, and that their call is still not being metered for charging purposes when the receiver is replaced.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Mr. Christopher Chataway)

No Sir.

Mr. Lewis

Is the Minister aware that that is quite unsatisfactory? It is not generally known that a person may pick up a telephone, make an S.T.D. call, and then put down the telephone and, although believing his telephone to be disconnected, pick it up some minutes afterwards and find that he is still paying for a call which he is not making. Should there not be some publicity to tell people to check that their telephone has been disconnected at the end of a call and that they are not paying money to the Post Office for calls which they are not making?

Mr. Chataway

This is clearly a matter within the managerial responsibility of the Post Office, but I am told by the Post Office that the metering system which it uses is as near foolproof as can be devised. There is no mechanical system which can guarantee against some human failure as, for example, the inability to put down a telephone correctly, or in very rare cases, some mechanical failure.

Mr. Montgomery

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that that is an unsatisfactory answer? Is he not aware that there is a great deal of support for the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) and that this complaint is all too prevalent? It has happened to a great many of us. This and the introduction of S.T.D. have made it extremely difficult for anybody to check the accuracy of the accounts which he gets from the Post Office.

Mr. Chataway

Complaints about individual accounts may be taken up with the Post Office or investigated by the Users' Council.

Mr. Lewis

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister does not appear to understand what this is about, I beg to give notice that I shall try to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Mr. Speaker

Hon. Members should give notice of intended Adjournment debates in the conventional way.

30. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will give a general direction to the Post Office Corporation to overhaul the service for temporary transfer or interception of telephone calls.

Mr. Chataway

No, Sir. This is a management matter for the Post Office.

Mr. Jenkins

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are a number of complaints about the operation of this service particularly to do with the resumption of normal services? Is he aware that a number of people have told me that once they have their services transferred they have the utmost difficulty in having them restored to normal? People keep ringing up and are told that they are still away when they are at home. Would he, informally if not formally, suggest to the Post Office that it has a look at this?

Mr. Chataway

I am sure that the Post Office will take careful note of what the hon. Member has said.