§ SIR THOMAS DEWAR (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state how much of the money voted by Parliament for the establishment of a Post Office telephone service in London has been extended, the number of subscribers in London who now use the Post-Office system, and the number who have agreed to subscribe but who are not yet provided with the service; and whether, seeing that persons in the South Western District who contracted to subscribe some months ago have not yet been afforded telephone facilities, he can state when the telephone service for London is likely to be complete.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe expenditure on the London telephone service to the 28th February amounted to £1,067,000. A considerable part of this amount is for plant and stores which have, not yet been brought into use, but have been provided to meet the future requirements of the system. Seven exchanges have been opened since the 1st March, 1901, and 8,749 telephones are now in use in connection with these exchanges. About 2,000 agreements for other lines are on hand, and from 150 to 200 new lines are being
† See (4) Debates cxix., 1230.915 brought into use every week. Probably the cases of delay which the hon. Member has in view have arisen from the difficulty of obtaining way leaves from the local authorities; but if he will furnish me with particulars I shall be glad to have special inquiry made on the subject. Four other important exchanges will be opened in the course of this year, and arrangements are in progress for the establishment of several others. In view of the increasing demand for new exchanges, and of the rapid development of the existing exchanges, it is not possible to name any date for the final completion of the Post Office system in London.