§ Mr. John MacLeodasked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applicants in the seven crofter counties, and in Ross-shire in particular, are on the waiting list for telephones; and what is the longest period any one applicant has been waiting.
§ Mr. GammansThere were 2,738 applications outstanding on the 31st December, 1952. Of these, excluding 73 in course of provision, 311 were for the mainland of Ross and Cromarty and 143 for Lewis. The application outstanding for the longest period was dated 16th December, 1944. Seven and a half miles of new wiring would be needed to provide service and with the many urgent claims on our restricted resources it has not so far been possible to justify using the material and labour for this one application.