§ 4. Mr. Pounderasked the Postmaster-General which telephone exchanges in Northern Ireland are scheduled for conversion to the subscriber trunk dialling system in 1966, 1967, and 1968, respectively.
§ Mr. Edward ShortWith permission, I will circulate a list of the exchanges concerned in the OFFICIAL REPORT. But it does show that in 1966 20 exchanges will be converted; in 1967, 30, and in 1968, 22.
§ Mr. PounderWhile thanking the Postmaster-General for that Answer, may I ask him to say whether there has been 1448 an improvement or short-fall in the rate of conversion to S.T.D. in Ulster compared with the forecasts originally made?
§ Mr. ShortThere has been a slight rephasing, as the hon. Gentleman will see from the many Questions that he and his hon. Friends have had down on this. But, overall, there is a slight improvement.
§ The following is the information:
§ Telephone exchanges in Northern Ireland at which it is planned to introduce the STD facilities:
| In 1966 | |
| Comber | Portaferry |
| Ahoghill | Portavogie |
| Anghaffaten | Enniskillen |
| Garvagh | Brookhall |
| Greyabbey | Campsie |
| Lisburn | Clandy |
| Donaghadee | Cross |
| Newtownards | Eglinton |
| Ballywalter | Draperstown |
| Kircubbin | Maghera |
| In 1967 | |
| Helen's Bay | Rathfriland |
| Whitehead | Richhill |
| Whiteabbey | Tandragree |
| Omagh | Dromore (Down) |
| Aughnacloy | Hillsborough |
| Beragh | Maze |
| Castleclerg | Ballycastle |
| Fintons | Cookstown |
| Newtownstewart | Coalisland |
| Sion Mills | Dundonald |
| Kilnea | Cloughmills |
| Crumlin | Glenanne |
| Templepatrick | Ballyward |
| Portrush | Whitehouse |
| Loughgall | Banbridge |
| In 1968 | |
| Newcastle | Mountfield |
| Strabane | Castlerock |
| Newtownhamilton | Coagh |
| Castlewellan | Pomeroy |
| Kilkeel | Moneymore |
| Rostrevor | Aghadowey |
| Rasharkin | Tuomebridge |
| Warrenpoint | Dungiven |
| Clogher | Dromone (Tyrone) |
| Drumquin | Stoneyford |
| Gortin | Ballygawley |
§ 5. Mr. Pounderasked the Postmaster-General what is the proportion of telephone subscribers in Northern Ireland who were on the subscriber trunk dialling system in 1965; and what additional proportion he estimates will come on to this system in 1966, 1967, and 1968, respectively.
§ Mr. Edward Short64 per cent. of the telephone subscribers in Northern Ireland had the S.T.D. facility in 1965.
§ I estimate that the additional proportion to have S.T.D. during the next three years will be:
| 1966 | 7 per cent. |
| 1967 | 10 per cent. |
| 1968 | 4 per cent. |