§ 5. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Postmaster-General by what date he estimates that there will no longer be a need for telephone subscribers in the St. Marylebone area to share a party line with another subscriber.
§ Mr. BevinsThe cable system is being steadily expanded in Marylebone and elsewhere, but I cannot say when there will be sufficient cables to make sharing unnecessary. I should like everyone to have the kind of telephone service he wants, and I am only sorry that this is not possible at present. My ability to do this depends on the capital resources available for the development of the system and the rate at which new applications are received.
§ Sir W. WakefieldDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that it is unsatisfactory that he cannot give a definite date when shared lines will no longer be possible? Surely he knows what his programme of expansion is and the likely increase of subscribers. Will not he try to make an effort to give the information so Chat subscribers in St. Marylebone may know when they no longer need to share a party line?
§ Mr. BevinsThe proportion of people in my hon. Friend's constituency who have party lines is very much smaller than in the rest of the country, but I assure my hon. Friend that I am by no means complacent about this matter. I want to see the telephone system expanded, as it ought to be.