HC Deb 16 July 1973 vol 860 cc18-9
33. Mr. Redmond

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he is aware of the delays experienced by hon. Members and probably by the pubic in obtaining replies from the main telephone switchboards of Government Departments; and if he will set up an inquiry with a view to improving efficiency in this respect.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Civil Service Department (Mr. Kenneth Baker)

I am aware of these delays, which are primarily due to the use of manual switchboards. Plans are in hand to replace these by automatic ones, as part of an automatic network covering the whole of the Whitehall area.

Mr. Redmond

I am glad to have that reply. Is my hon. Friend aware that the day before I tabled this Question I was asked to call the private office of a Minister at the Department of Health and Social Security at 5 p.m. and that at 5.15 p.m. I could get no reply? Is he further aware that next morning it took 10 minutes for the switchboard to reply and, later that afternoon, five minutes for the Department of Employment to reply? Has he tried telephoning some Government Departments himself recently? Is he also aware that since I tabled this Question the service has improved enormously?

Mr. Baker

It all goes to show. I am aware that my hon. Friend has had this inconvenience, but I assure him that there is a substantial investment programme in automatic switchboards, that these will start to come into service in January 1974 and that the system will be substantially completed by the end of 1975.

Mr. Kaufman

Will the hon. Gentleman take action with regard to the standing instruction to the Department of the Environment, whereby no telephone calls from hon. Members or others are put through to any Minister's private office but are, instead, referred to an inquiries office, with which the call terminates, since it promises to transfer a call but never does?

Mr. Baker

I am surprised to hear that. I shall look into it and see whether there is something I can do. Normally, calls get transferred direct to Ministers or their departments.