§ Mr. Brian Parkynasked the Postmaster-General how many people in Bedford are waiting to have telephones installed; what is the average delay at present; what was the average delay in 1965; and whether he will make a statement on this local problem.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterLeaving aside orders under inquiry or being met, there were 589 applicants waiting at 31st October, 1966. All will receive service when a new exchange is opened in the early autumn of 1967. Those now on the waiting list have been waiting on average about six months: the comparable figure for 1965 was almost five months.
There is a shortage of automatic exchange equipment and insufficient accommodation for extending the over-loaded switchboard. These difficulties will be removed by the opening of the new exchange with STD.