HC Deb 01 December 1948 vol 458 c185W
Mr. Battley

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered a letter from Mr. Alfred C. Hall, complaining of the interference with a telephone call made by him to his Russian-born wife, Mrs. Clara Hall, on Friday, 19th November, 1948, through the British Consul in Moscow; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

No trace can be found of the receipt of a letter from Mr. Alfred C. Hall regarding a telephone call made by him to Moscow on 19th November, 1948. The facts so far as they are known to the Post Office are, briefly, as follows: A personal call was established from Temple Bar 1200 to Mr. Brookfield in Moscow at 2.55 p.m. on 19th November. Satisfactory conversation proceeded for two minutes when the connection was observed to be subject to interruptions. The London operator ensured that communication was again established with Mr. Brookfield at 3.0 p.m. but after two minutes the connection was cut off in Moscow. The Moscow operator then stated that the line was out of order. The call was re-established at 3.30 p.m. to a number at the British Embassy in Moscow but this call also was subject to interruptions. None of the interruptions to this call were due to any cause within the control of the Post Office.