§ 41. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Postmaster-General if he will state the numbers, at the latest convenient date, of applicants for telephones in Aberdeen City and County, respectively; if he will specify the steps he has taken during the last five years and the steps he now plans to take to reduce the number on those waiting lists; and what have been the results.
§ Miss PikeOn 31st March last there were 431 applications on hand in Aberdeen City and 284 in the remainder of the County. Of these, 343 and 233 respectively were under inquiry or in course of being met.
Additional plant has been provided in the last five years, enabling us to provide 6,768 telephones in the City and 3,604 in the County. The waiting list has been reduced by 1,016 in the City and 465 in the County. More plant is being put in to meet the current and future demand.
§ Mr. HughesI am glad to know that the waiting list has been reduced, but does the hon. Lady realise that conversations in Aberdeen should be encouraged because they are generally characterised by sense, wit and humour, and sometimes by justifiable emotion?
§ Miss PikeI am glad to find myself in agreement with the hon. and learned Gentleman, and I would stress also that they are marked by the generosity which we all recognise is the main characteristic of the Aberdonian.