asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the continuing unsatisfactory telephone services in rural areas and when it is hoped to improve this situation.

The reasons for the shortcomings of the telephone service in both country and urban areas are set out comprehensively in the report of the Posts and Telegraphs Review Group published last year. These were identified by the group as being primarily underinvestment in the service and an unsuitable organisational structure.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government have since approved an accelerated telephone development programme estimated to cost £650 million at 1979 prices. The general objective of the programme is to provide a high quality telephone service as quickly as practicable throughout the country. The review group recognised that the extensive improvements required will take several years to bring about. Some significant improvements will, I expect, begin to become evident from the end of this year onwards according as major development schemes at present in progress or planned are completed.

Invariably when we complain about poor telephone services, the answer we get from the Department is that there is a lack of stores, which seem to be a basic commodity. What is being done about that shortage?

There were staff relations difficulties in stores around Christmas. In the past month the stores and equipment issued to the different centres were worth approximately £2.6 million.

36.