HL Deb 03 November 1975 vol 365 cc859-60

2.48 p.m.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as the charge of 5p for sending Christmas cards abroad does not yield a profit, the result is an actual deficit; if so, who pays the deficit and to what organisation; and what was the deficit for Christmas 1974.

Lord LOVELL-DAVIS

My Lords, because of constraints imposed by the rules of the Universal Postal Union, the overseas surface mail printed paper service, by which unsealed greetings cards may be sent for 5p, made a loss of about £4½ million in 1974–75. Compensation under the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974 is payable to the Post Office up to an amount equal to the total deficit incurred by the postal business as a whole.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask for his help on another matter? Does he recall that on Thursday last—as reported at col. 607 of Hansard—I asked the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, whether he could confirm that the figures for the number of letters posted during the Christmas period 1973–74 were, respectively, 781 million and 806 million and that the noble Lord said he would check? Can the noble Lord comment on that?

Lord LOVELL-DAVIS

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Beswick intended no discourtesy in expressing the changes in terms of percentages. He was quoting from the annual report and accounts of the Post Office. These shows that in the Christmas period of 1972 the number of letters posted was 904 million. The reduction of 5 per cent. reported for 1973 implies a figure of about 859 million items, and the increase of 3 per cent. in 1974 would bring the figure to about 885 million items. On looking into the Post Office's report and accounts, I see that in referring to posts on page 23 it says At Christmas, letter traffic increased by 3 per cent. and parcel traffic by 21 per cent. However, in case there is any doubt at all about this matter I will certainly look into it, and if the figures are other than those I have given I will gladly write to the noble Baroness.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, while being very appreciative of the trouble the Minister has taken, may I write to him in detail about this, for is he aware that the information given to my noble friend Lord Beswick was based not on the letter traffic for the three-week period concerned, but for letters and parcels combined? If I send the noble Lord the full details, perhaps he will let me have a reply.

Lord LOVELL-DAVIS

My Lords, I should be grateful to the noble Baroness if she would do that.

Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONE

My Lords, will the Post Office be sending the noble Baroness a Christmas card this year; and, if not, will it be a Valentine?