Parliamentary Telephone Message Centre (Hansard, 9 May 1983)

§ The Earl of Lauderdale
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)
My Lords, the new arrangements for telephone messages have been in operation for only four weeks. I understand that there have been some initial teething troubles but that these are being overcome. If, however, the noble Earl has a specific complaint in mind, I shall of course have it followed up.

§ The Earl of Lauderdale
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. May I ask him whether he is aware that I have put two of my complaints to Black Rod? On one day, the author of the message sent to me was a name utterly unrecognisable although it was carefully and painstakingly dictated by my secretary, who was very familiar with the name. On another occasion, the critical opening sentence of the message was omitted; and, on a third occasion, the message was not delivered at all.

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I am extremely sorry. I am afraid that these accidents and troubles do happen. They happened under the old system. I am not sure that it has anything to do with the new arrangements; but I am sure that if it has been brought to the attention of Black Rod he will have paid due attention to what the noble Earl says.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, is my noble friend the Chairman of Committees aware that there is no dialling code book in the telephone room?

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, no. I shall make sure that there is.

Lord Spens
My Lords, has the pink form that arrives with the white form containing a telephone message any purpose?

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I am afraid that I shall have to write to the noble Lord. I have no idea.

§ The Earl of Onslow
My Lords, will my noble friend not agree that we should be grateful for the help that we receive from the telephone staff—

Noble Lords
Hear, hear!

§ The Earl of Onslow
Perhaps no one wants to ring me up, but I have never had anything but a decent and helpful service from the telephone staff. That should be recorded as well as any complaints that are made.

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the noble Earl. What he says is helpful. I know that the new telecommunications manager is extremely anxious to give the best possible service to the House. I am grateful.

§ Lord Strabolgi
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware, following upon what the noble Earl has stated—with which I agree—that I have always received excellent service and I have never had any cause for complaint?

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I am even more grateful to have support from the other side of the House.

§ Lord De Freyne
My Lords, will the noble Lord agree that there must be something wrong in the system? I was definitely sent three messages last week but did not receive any of them in any shape or form.

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I should be grateful if the noble Lord would give me details. I shall have the matter looked into.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, will the noble Lord agree with what I think must be the general feeling of the House that we are grateful for having had an excellent telephone message service for many years, that we all understand that when a new system is introduced there are bound to be teething problems, but that there has been a sharp and measurable drop in efficiency since the new form of service was introduced?

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, I can only think that this is probably the inevitable consequence of changing the system. I hope that these problems will be overcome shortly.

§ Lord Leatherland
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I received a telephone message a few minutes ago saying that there would be a general election on 9th June?

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, that just goes to show the efficiency of the service.

§ The Earl of Lauderdale
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that my question was not prompted by any criticism of the personnel in the House but rather the contrary? I was trying to suggest that something has gone wrong somewhere, possibly in another part of the building.

§ Lord Aberdare
My Lords, there has not really been much change. The same telephone operators who were formerly located here are now located elsewhere but they are the same people who dealt with us before. However, there are troubles, and I take the noble Earl's point. We shall endeavour to make sure that the service is improved.