HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 c817W
Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone calls were made in each month to the immigration inquiry bureau in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and whether he has any information as to how many received the engaged tone.

Mr. Waddington

The number of calls answered by the immigration telephone inquiry bureau during the period July 1984-June 1985, and the number of callers recorded as having received the engaged tone during this period, are as follows:

Calls Answered Callers receiving engaged tone
1984
July 17,721 22,351
August 21,282 13,745
September 14,796 18,722
October 15,047 23,561
November 17,768 22,476
December 11,305 9,922
1985
January 14,847 10,451
February 13,526 25,066
March 15,937 30,701
April 12,856 19,574
May 15,573 17,096
June 14,186 22,144

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new switchboard was installed in the immigration inquiry bureau.

Mr. Waddington

The new telephone system in the immigration and nationality department's offices at Lunar house, Croydon, including the telephone inquiry bureau, came into operation on 13 May this year.