§ EARL FORTESCUE asked His Majesty's Government, whether they can now state if any further steps are being taken to improve the telephone service in London.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL): I am glad to say that we have succeeded in increasing the number of telephone installations in London to a record figure of over 23,000 new telephones a month, and that the list of waiting applicants has started to fall. The decline that began in April has been followed by a further reduction in May. Trunk traffic has also been steadily increasing and we have provided more than 700 additional trunk circuits.
§ But the standard of service cannot be further improved until we succeed in recruiting the operating staff in the exchanges to full strength. At the moment the Post Office needs 1,000 additional women telephone operators in the London area. To get the higher standard of service at which we aim, that number of operators must be recruited as soon as possible. Those young women between the ages of 16 and 20 who would like particulars of a public service which offers good wages and employment conditions, should write to or apply personally to the Regional Director, Waterloo Bridge House, S.E.1.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past twelve o'clock.