§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Postmaster General, how many automatic telephone exchanges were opened during 1940 and 454W where they are placed; and whether he has any statement to make regarding the automatic telephone exchange for the Greenock area?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonAbout 200 automatic telephone exchanges were opened during 1940, of which about 180 were relatively small exchanges. In the majority of cases the building work was well advanced on the outbreak of the war. I am sending a list of the places concerned to my hon. and learned Friend. Owing to the extremely heavy demands on the building industry for purposes directly connected with the prosecution of the war, it has not yet been possible to commence the buildings for the new exchanges in the Greenock area, and I am sorry that in present circumstances I am unable to say when it will be possible to make progress with them.