§ 2.17 p.m.
§ LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEUMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first 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 ever increasing number of wrong numbers and dialling failures both in the local and S.T.D. systems, they will allow an overall discount on all telephone accounts until the system provides the service to which subscribers are entitled.]
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (THE EARL OF LONGFORD)My Lords, in the unavoidable absence of my noble friend Lord Snow, I will attempt to answer the Question put by the noble Lord, but if he wishes to pursue the matter further perhaps he will put down another Question on another day. The Answer, my Lords, is, No.
We all know that our telephone service is under severe strain owing to under-capitalisation in the past, but my right honourable friend the Postmaster General at last has the capital authorised to improve it and is engaged on this task. Wrong numbers and dialling 726 failures are not always due to the Post Office. Dialling errors by subscribers occur on 5 per cent, of local call? and the figure rises to 7 per cent, for S.T.D. On the other hand, plant defects for which the Post Office is responsible are gradually being reduced: at present they occur on less than 3 per cent, of local calls and less than 6 per cent. of S.T.D. calls.
§ LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEUMy Lords, I thank the Leader of the House for that Answer. But would he not agree that there are a tremendous number of failures on this system? And is it fair that the subscribers should be made to pay for these failures?
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I think I had better leave that to the noble Lord and Lord Snow on another occasion.