§ 22. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Postmaster-General how many persons applied for telephones in the current year to the latest convenient date; and bow many applied in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. MarplesApplications received this year, up to 31st May, have numbered 181,313. In round figures, the applications in the five years from 1954 to 1958 have been 450,000, 500,000, 385,000, 365,000 and 375,000. I am circulating the detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The detailed figures are:
| 1954 | 447,019 |
| 1955 | 504,148 |
| 1956 | 386,926 |
| 1957 | 363,334 |
| 1958 | 373,446 |