§ Sir R. Blairasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, owing to the numbers of evacuees and business firms now established in certain reception areas, the postal and telephone services have seriously deteriorated, letters, in most cases, taking two days for delivery from London to parts of Buckinghamshire; whether such delay is due to lack of staff at the despatching or receiving end; and can improvement be hoped for in the immediate future?
§ Major TryonI am not aware that there is any general delay of two days in the delivery of letters from London to places in Buckinghamshire, but owing to 1669W the suspension of certain trains formerly used for mails the time taken for transmission of letters addressed to Chalfont St. Giles has been increased in certain cases. The possibility of using additional trains for these mails is now under consideration, and I am hopeful that some improvement will be made in the service in the near future.
Owing to the causes stated by my hon. Friend and also to the large number of circuits withdrawn for defence purposes some congestion has resulted in the telephone service. In addition to the measures which have already been taken to provide telephone service for persons and firms moving to the reception areas, and to improve the service generally, I have appealed to private users to refrain from using the telephone except for essential calls. These steps will, I hope, do much to improve the position.