HC Deb 11 June 1968 vol 766 cc30-1W
Mr. Dudley Smith

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many people in Leamington Spa and district are on the waiting list for telephones.

(2) what is the average length of waiting time for applicants for telephones in Leamington Spa and district.

Mr. Mason

710 people in Leamington Spa and district are on the list and have been waiting on average five to six months. The exchanges involved and the numbers on each are:

Leamington Spa 446
Warwick 245
Kenilworth 19

At both Leamington Spa and Warwick there are shortages of equipment and cables; but in Kenilworth only of cables. We have plans which will enable service to be given to most of those waiting at Kenilworth and Warwick by late summer, about 250 in all, and about 430 early in 1969 including most of those waiting at Leamington Spa. Unfortunately, a few may have to wait until the middle of 1969. Service to some people will be delayed because it is necessary to provide cables on new housing sites and the speed with which they can be laid depends on the progress of development of the new estates.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Postmaster General how many people are on the waiting list for telephones in the Uxbridge constituency; and what estimate he will make of the likely delay they will suffer.

Mr. Joseph Slater

At 31st May, 1968, there were 48 people on the waiting list with an average waiting period of 4 months. All are awaiting service from Harefield Telephone Exchange. The exchange will be enlarged, and converted to Subscriber Trunk Dialling, by late summer of this year and all the people who are waiting will then be given service.

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