§ Mr. Gowerasked the Postmaster-General what proportion of domestic telephone subscribers in England and Wales, respectively, now have shared lines; and what further steps he will take to reduce the number of shared lines.
§ Mr. BevinsAbout 30 per cent. in each case. As I said in the White Paper on the Inland Telephone Service, shared service must continue in the short term, if my aim to abolish the waiting list for telephones by March 1966 is to be achieved. My ultimate aim is to remove compulsory sharing and to give exclusive service to all who want it, but I cannot yet say when this will be possible.