asked the Postmaster-General why Messrs. Artistic Woods & Metal Company Limited, 58a Theodore Street, Aston, Birmingham, 6, will not receive even shared telephone service for nearly a year; and how long it will be before business applicants for new telephones in Birmingham will receive their telephones as quickly as business applicants in London.

I regret that the amount of essential work already on hand in the Birmingham area will prevent us from providing service for Messrs. Artistic Woods & Metal Company Limited for about another year. We endeavour to meet business applications for service in all parts of the country as soon as practicable; and in the Birmingham area additional installation staff has recently been recruited for the purpose.