§ 35. Mr. DONALDasked the Postmaster-General the number of applications for installation of telephones in Belfast during 1919 and 1920; how many have been completed; and whether he is aware that business men are being put to great inconvenience for want of this service?
§ The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Pike Pease)Separate figures for Belfast are not available. In the Belfast Telephone District, which covers the north-east corner of Ireland, 2,003 applications for new telephone installations were received from the 1st January, 1919, to 30th September, 1920. 1,211 installations have actually been provided, and 56 are in course of completion. The remainder, 736, are at present held up by the want of line and exchange plant, which is being provided as rapidly as possible. I regret the inconvenience occasioned, but the position is due to the difficulty experienced in obtaining adequate supplies of manufactured material to cope with the arrears of development accumulated during the War.
§ Mr. REMERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in other cases when inquiries 988 have been made into statements as to the shortage of materials, they have not been found to be correct?
§ Mr. PEASEIf there is any particular point which my hon. Friend wishes to raise, I shall be pleased to look into it.
§ Mr. SWANWhat is the obstacle to the installation of telephones in so many parts of the country, with the result that business is handicapped?