§ Major MORGANasked the Postmaster-General whether, in accordance with his undertaking, all the Post Office wireless stations in England, Wales, and Scotland were returned to the Post Office about two months ago; whether, during the period since the Armistice, the Navy and instituted commercial working at purely naval stations such as Grimsby, Dover, and Rame Head, at which commercial traffic is being handled by naval ratings, although the Post Office wireless staff and wireless stations are capable of handling the work; whether the long-distance ship and shore service, which was recently inaugurated, and which is worked from a naval station near Aberdeen, falls into the same category, seeing that the work is of a purely commercial character; and whether, in view of the importance that commercial traffic should not to be handed over to the naval Department, he will make representations to the Parliamentary Secretary of the Admiralty with a view to having the whole of the commercial wireless traffic dealt with by civilian operators at Post Office stations?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThe Post Office stations in England, Wales and Scotland were returned about three months ago. The Post Office has also taken over the naval station at Wick, and will take over the naval stations at Grimsby, Dover, and Port Patrick, The naval station at Rame Head is available for commercial work as a relief to the Post Office station at Land's End, but little or no commercial work is actually done there. A certain amount of long-distance commercial work with ships has recently been carried on at the naval station at Aberdeen, because no suitable Post Office station is available; but a station is being erected near Devizes, and when this is ready—as I hope it will be in a few weeks—the Aberdeen station will no longer carry on commercial work.
§ Major MORGANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that in April, 1919, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty gave an assurance that there was no intention that the Admiralty should permanently retain any station in which Post Office wireless operators were employed; whether, as a result of that I assurance, all the Post Office stations 1453W have been returned to the control of the civil authorities; whether during the period since the Armistice the Navy has established commercial working at purely naval stations such as Grimsby, Dover, and Rame Head, and that such commercial working is being handled by naval ratings despite the ability of the Post Office stations and staff to cope with this traffic; whether the long-distance ship and shore service recently inaugurated is being worked from a naval station near Aberdeen although this traffic is also of a purely commercial character; whether there is a strong element at the Admiralty who favour the permanent retention of commercial wireless working by that Department; whether the Post Office inspector of wireless telegraphy and his immediate subordinate are ex-naval officers; and whether, having regard to the necessity for the removal of all purely commercial traffic from the control of the Navy, he will cause immediate inquiry to be made as to the reasons which have led to the retention of certain commercial services under the control of the naval authorities?
§ Sir J. CRAIGsupplied the following particulars: Stations in Home Waters.—All General Post Office stations have been handed back to the General Post Office, with the exception of two stations in Ireland. Naval stations in the vicinity of naval ports accept commercial traffic in addition to naval traffic in cases where the General Post Office consider that the amount of traffic would not justify the erection of special stations for commercial work. The naval station at Aberdeen is being used for long distance commercial work at the request of the General Post Office, as they have no station as yet capable of dealing with this traffic until the General Post Office station at Devizes is completed.
Stations Abroad.—Naval stations abroad are only used for commercial traffic at the request of the Governments concerned. The Admiralty are averse to undertaking any commercial work and are only doing so to assist communication when no other suitable stations exist, or in the event of cable breakdown. The last part of the question does not therefore arise. The Post Office inspector of wireless telegraphy and his immediate subordinate are believed to be ex-naval officers.