§ Miss Quennellasked the Postmaster General how many applicants for telephones are on the waiting list in the 28 exchange areas serving the Petersfield constitutency.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterLeaving aside orders under inquiry or being met, there were, at 30th September, 547 applications for service on the waiting list of the 28 exchanges serving the Petersfield constituency. There were no such applications at 11 of the exchanges; 41 were spread in small numbers over 12 exchanges, and the remainder were as follows:
Exchange Area Waiting List Relief Expected Horndean (part) 323 Beginning January, 1966 Liphook 88 Summer 1966 Petersfield 44 Spring 1966 Alton 30 Summer 1966 Wickham 21 Spring 1966 In the preceding 12 months the number of exchange connections in the constituency increased by nearly 1,200, but 103W I am sorry it was, nevertheless, not possible to prevent the waiting list from increasing. Demand for telephones is rising faster than the system can be augmented and althought we have embarked on an expanded capital programme it will inevitably take time to overcome the backlog and meet further growth.