HC Deb 04 June 1930 vol 239 cc2169-70W
Major GLYN

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that the statutory regulations governing the acceptance and transmission of telegrams were compiled at a time when telegrams were sent by Morse instruments and not by telephone, and that in the case of code telegrams everything depends upon accuracy, he will reconsider the advisability of revising the Regulations owing to the dissatisfaction that exists regarding the present method of transmission by telephone, especially from small country offices?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Precise instructions are issued to the staff engaged in the dictation and reception of telegrams by telephone in order to prevent errors; and there is no reason to think that the number of errors in telegrams transmitted by telephone is materially greater than in telegrams transmitted by Morse or other telegraph instruments. In these circumstances, I regret that I am unable to see any ground for making a distinction in the statutory regulations such as the hon. and gallant Member suggests.

Grade. Accounts Branch. Contract Branch. Traffic Branch. Total.
Hours. Hours. Hours. Hours.
Higher Clerical 5 officers.
Executive
Clerical 4,631 4,322 1,052 10,005
Writing Assistants 3,337 3,307
Typing Grades 507 224 751
"P" Clerks 327 327

I may add that I have no evidence of any general dissatisfaction with the telephonic method of transmission.