HC Deb 24 May 1960 vol 624 c37W
Mr. Wall

asked the Postmaster-General why cable letter telegrams have been suspended; and how long this suspension is to last.

Mr. Bevins

A substantial proportion of the staff at Electra House imposed a ban on overtime working. There was already a shortage of staff, and these two things, taken together, made it impossible for me to maintain the full range of overseas telegraph services. I had to keep the full-rate and urgent-rate traffic moving, and had no alternative but to suspend the letter-telegram service. I will restore this as soon as I can offer a satisfactory service, but I am very sorry I cannot yet say when I shall be able to do so.