§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD BRABAZON OF TARAMy 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 a weather forecast service can be provided by telephone by some arrangement like the speaking clock service]
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, I am glad to be able to tell your Lordships that, with the help of the Air Ministry, the Post Office is planning a new telephone weather forecast service. It will start in London as soon as the necessary equipment has been made and installed, which will probably be early next year. The forecast will be made by the Meteorological Office and will cover an area of roughly twenty miles radius round the centre of London: it will be changed about four times a day.
The forecast will be recorded on special equipment, which subscribers on London automatic exchanges will be able to reach by dialling WEA, followed by four numerical digits, in the same way as they dial any other call in the London area. The service will also be available to subscribers outside London. The charge for these weather calls will be the same as for an ordinary telephone call to Central London. This is only the initial step and we plan later on to extend the service to other parts of the country where it can justify itself.
§ LORD BRABAZON OF TARAMy Lords, I thank the Postmaster General for his announcement and for the initiative of the Post Office. May I further ask whether he has ever considered doing what they do in France—that is to say, 278 dialling for news, which in present circumstances would be most acceptable.
§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, there are many other extensions of this principle which we are certainly prepared to consider. I would only say to the noble Lord that while there is a considerable waiting list of applicants for telephones we must concentrate our resources on that matter.