asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are waiting for connection to the Orpington, Farnborough and Biggin Hill telephone exchanges, respectively; what is the present average period between application and connection; and whether he will make a statement upon the position generally now that these three new fully automatic exchanges are in operation.

The figures for which my hon. Friend asks and the number of telephones connected in the last twelve months are given in the following table:

—	Orpington	Farn borough	Biggin Hill
Number of applicants waiting for connexion	Nil	Nil	1
Number of applications under inquiry or in course of being met	82	76	60
Average period between application and connexion	3 weeks	3 weeks	4–5 weeks
Number of telephones connected in the last 12 months	987	499	68

We hope to be able to connect the one waiting applicant in the Biggin Hill exchange area by October, 1961, when a new cable will be completed; other cables are planned for this area to cater for new building development.