§ 11. Mr. Hollandasked the Postmaster-General how many residents in the Borough of Acton have applied for and are still awaiting telephones; and what is the average waiting time for telephone installation in the area.
§ Mr. BevinsAbout 50 Acton residents are awaiting telephones. This figure excludes orders under inquiry or being met. Where plant and equipment are available orders are usually met in two to three months.
If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any individual cases he has in mind, I should be very glad to investigate them.
§ Mr. HollandDoes my right hon. Friend recall that on 25th November, 1959, he advised me in the House that the average waiting time was two or three months but that there should be an improvement when a new cable was put down in January, 1960? Is he satisfied that the cable capacity is adequate to the needs? If so, what other difficulties are there and what does my right hen. Friend propose to do about them?
§ Mr. BevinsThere are about 30,000 telephone lines in Acton and the waiting list accounts for about .6 per cent. of the total. In 1959, the year to which my hon. Friend refers, about 130 people had been waiting for more than three months. That figure is now down to 50 and we are hoping to make the waiting period shorter still by the provision of new cables in the district.