52. Mr. Hobsonasked the Postmaster-General if he will state, to the latest available date, the number of private telephone subscribers who have withdrawn from the telephone system since the announcement of the increase in charges of July, 1957.
§ Mr. MarplesDuring the six months ended 31st December, 1957, 139,000 private subscribers' lines were given up. These cessations should not all be attributed to the increased charges, since there were 50,000 in the previous six months. In the six months ending 31st December last, just under 100,000 new private subscribers' lines were connected.
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53. Mr. Hobsonasked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of applicants for private telephones on 1st July, 1957 and the outstanding number at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. MarplesThere were 177,000 applications for private lines outstanding on 1st July, 1957, and this number had been reduced to 132,000 on the 31st December, 1957.