HC Deb 22 July 1925 vol 186 cc2235-6W
Mr. HUGH O'NEILL

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that three registered letters addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, and containing voting papers for the election of senators, were not delivered at Parliament Buildings, Belfast, until 11.45 a.m. on Tuesday, 14th July, although posted in Belfast at midday on Saturday, 11th July, and that the explanation of the postmaster of Belfast for such extraordinary delay is that it is not customary to deliver registered letters to official or business addresses until the second delivery on any day; whether such a custom prevails generally or applies only in Belfast; whether there was any postal delivery in Belfast on the Saturday afternoon, Monday morning, and Tuesday morning at which these letters might have been delivered; whether he is aware that the police are always on duty at the Parliament Buildings and that there is also a caretaker there; can he say on whose responsibility these letters were retained by the Post Office authorities: and will he take steps to ensure that in future registered letters addressed to the Parliament Buildings will be delivered as expeditiously as unregistered letters?

Viscount WOLMER

It is the practice not to deliver registered letters unless there is a responsible person in attendance to accept them, and for this reason, both in Belfast and elsewhere, registered letters are in many instances regularly held over for the second delivery, with the concurrence of the Government Departments and firms concerned. As the Speaker's office was closed from the afternoon of Saturday the 11th to the morning of the 14th July, and it was known from inquiry that no responsible official would be on duty during this period, there was no alternative but to retain the registered packets until the second delivery on the 14th July. If the hon. Member will designate a responsible official, who will be in attendance to accept and sign for registered letters, they can be delivered at the House Commons about 8 a.m. without difficulty.