§ 78 and 79. Mr. Mulleyasked the Postmaster-General (1) when he expects work to begin on the planned automatic telephone exchange and new sorting office in Sheffield;
127W(2) what steps he proposes to take to reduce the waiting list for telephone service in Sheffield and to introduce subscriber trunk dialling services in Sheffield; and if he will make a statement about his plans for the development of the telephone arid postal services in Sheffield.
§ Mr. BevinsA start on the new telephone exchange building will be made in the next few weeks. Subscriber trunk dialling facilities cannot be provided in the present exchange, but the new exchange—which is expected to be ready for service early in 1965—will provide these facilities. Additional cables and equipment are being installed in Sheffield, and I hope by mid-1962 to provide service to most of the applicants at present waiting.
As regards the postal services, the plans include the construction of a new main sorting office which will be fully mechanised. This is programmed to start in 1964, depending upon availability of the site. Development of the other sorting offices and modernsation or reconstruction of some public offices are also planned.