§ Mr. Richardasked the Postmaster General what changes he proposes to make in the Directory Inquiry Service.
§ Mr. StonehouseThe Directory Inquiry Service is to be extended to provide an additional service for subscribers who want it. No charge will be made when the operator can find the number reasonably easily. But when this is not so, and as an alternative to the present procedure of terminating the inquiry, the106W caller will be offered a special search by a separate operator at a charge of 1s. The proposal was considered and accepted by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
To test how far this service meets a public need and will help us to be of greater assistance to users of the directory inquiry service, I propose initially—on 1st October next—to introduce the facility at a small number of selected inquiry centres before proceeding further.
The new service will not be available from coin boxes because the results of the special searches will be telephoned back to the inquirers.