HC Deb 17 December 1959 vol 615 cc252-3W
Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement about his programme for the conversion to automatic operation of each of the telephone exchanges in the Western Isles constituency.

Mr. Bevins

On present plans, 8 of the 25 manual exchanges in the Western Isles constituency will be converted to automatic working during the next three years. These are: Gravir, Port of Ness, Leverburgh, Scalpay, Callanish, Carlo-way, Great Bernera, and North Tolsta. The timetable for the other exchanges has still to be settled as part of a scheme to convert by 1970 the 1,000 telephone exchanges in the United Kingdom which still operate on the manual system.

Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are still outstanding in the Western Isles constituency area; and when he will provide them.

Mr. Bevins

Eleven: in addition 28 others are under inquiry or in course of being met. Most of the applicants will get telephones within three months but some will take longer because of the length of the lines involved.

During the past twelve months 111 new telephones were installed in the Western Isles.

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