§ 63. Mr. Channonasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that when Mrs. Mertens, of 4, Clifton Terrace, 220 Southend-on-Sea, applied on 25th January at the Southend Post Office for a telephone she was informed that there would be an indefinite delay, perhaps amounting to months, over the installation, and that she was further told that she is the 141st on the waiting list; and will he take steps in the matter?
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Sir Walter Womersley)I am aware of the circumstances at Southend Telephone Exchange. The public response to the recent tariff concessions has far exceeded expectations, and in a number of cases the exchange equipment has proved insufficient to meet the demands, with a result that there must needs be some delay in providing service. My hon. Friend will no doubt appreciate the difficulties of the situation when I explain that the orders for extensions of exchange equipment during the past 12 months have exceeded by over 200 per cent. the corresponding orders for the previous year. I can assure my hon. Friend that the Post Office is fully alive to the need for minimising the inconvenience caused to Mrs. Mertens and other prospective subscribers who are similarly placed and that every effort is being made to expedite the provision of the desired facilities.