THE EARL OF HARROWBYasked Her Majesty's Government if it can be arranged for all dial telephones to have a 999 (or other similar) call to differentiate emergencies from routine"O" purposes and ensure instantaneous attention however busy the exchange may be.
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)The 999 service is available on 92 per cent. of dial telephones. The reasons why it is not available to the other 8 per cent. are technical. Many exchanges are wholly automatic; they are normally connected to other automatic exchanges where operators are employed, and these operators provide the 999 service. Some wholly automatic exchanges are, however, connected to manual exchanges where the design of the equipment is not suitable for the 999 service. These exchanges are being steadily replaced by automatic exchanges, and on conversion the 999 service will become available.