§ Lord Balnielasked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he is aware of the increasing difficulties which are being caused to residents in Hertford through the delays in installing new telephone exchange equipment; and whether in the Post Office contract for this work there is a penalty clause to ensure that the work is kept to schedule;
(2) why the new telephone exchange equipment at Hertford, which was expected to be completed by June or early July 1968, is now not expected to be completed until October, 1968.
§ Mr. MasonThe job involved complicated re-arrangement and re-allocation of plant which meant delaying the installation of the last of the new equipment. I am very sorry for the inconvenience which this has caused to the residents at184W Hertford. Because the date for completing the work was rearranged with the full agreement of the Post Office, the penalty clause in the contract is not applicable.