§ 2.41 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the saving in costs achieved in a telephone service in the 561 United States by the practice of "qualitative maintenance," they will consider introducing the system into this country.]
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I should like, on behalf of my noble friend the Postmaster General, to thank the noble Earl, Lord Lucan, for putting down this Question, if only because it gives Her Majesty's Government the opportunity to thank publicly those who are responsible for an interesting report which is likely to prove extremely useful. The report to which I refer is that recently published by the team of Post Office engineering staff which visited the United States last year, and the recommendations of which are already being closely studied. Consultations will shortly take place with the interests concerned in order to see how the system of qualitative maintenance, to which the noble Earl, Lord Lucan, refers in his Question can most effectively be adapted to conditions here.
I think I ought to explain to your Lordships that the General Post Office's present policies of what are called preventive maintenance are practised almost everywhere in the world—including America, until 1953. They are based on maintenance attention and the overhaul of equipment at regular intervals, irrespective of the frequency with which faults occur. On the other hand, qualitative maintenance means attention in accordance with the actual needs of the apparatus as revealed by the occurrence of faults. I should also perhaps add that, as American experience shows, the new policy cannot be introduced rapidly, so that in any event it would be bound to take some time to apply.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for his fall reply and his explanation of the methods. May I also ask him whether he anticipates that, if the system were introduced it to this country, it would result in a saving similar to that in America, which is alleged to be the equivalent of about £1 million a year?
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, the noble Earl is quite right. The saving in America is something like 20 per cent. Whether that saving would be reflected in this country, if the same methods were 562 adopted, would be purely speculative, but I know of no reason at the moment why it should not be reflected.