asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that telephone services are held up for Fife area by the Forth Railway Bridge bottleneck; and what action he proposes to take.

There is a temporary shortage of telephone circuits over the Forth Railway Bridge, but this has not been such as to hold up the provision of telephones in Fife or to have a noticeable effect on the operation of the trunk services. A new cable is expected to be brought into service in about two months' time.