§ 26. Mr. Hockingasked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to improve the telephone service in the Coventry district.
§ Mr. BevinsI am not aware of any general dissatisfaction with the telephone service in the Coventry district. 90 per cent. of Coventry subscribers now have S.T.D., and it is to be extended to the remaining 10 per cent. within the next few months. If my hon. Friend has particular difficulties in mind and will let me have details, I will gladly make inquiries.
§ Mr. HockingIs my right hon. Friend not aware that Coventry has had one of the longest waiting lists for telephones almost since the war, and would he try to provide on the new estates more telephone kiosks? Is he not aware that those subscribers who have not subscriber trunk dialling have to wait on occasions for as long as four minutes for the operator to answer the telephone? Could not he see that more operators are present on some occasions?
§ Mr. BevinsI was not aware from the phrasing of the Question that my hon. Friend was referring to 'the difficulty of getting new telephones installed, but I shall certainly look at the position in Coventry. As to kiosks, in general, the Post Office is opposed to putting up more telephone kiosks because we lose so much money on them. The service during the late hours in the evening in Coventry is not as good as I should like to see it, due to the shortage of staff, but we are doing all that we can to put it right.