§ Lord O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much increased cost to (a) the Post Office, (b) Government Departments, (c) the community at large, will result from the introduction of automatic sorting machines which cannot cope with reused envelopes.
§ Lord MELCHETTThe Post Office has advised me that automatic sorting machines can cope with reused envelopes provided the phosphorescent code marks imprinted on the envelope have been completely obscured by, for example, a standard adhesive label. I am not aware of any instance where Government Departments, which are encouraged to reuse envelopes wherever possible, have changed their practice primarily or solely as a result of the introduction of automatic sorting machines by the Post Office. As the other points raised in the Question are the responsibility of the Post Office, I have asked the Managing Director (Posts) to write to the noble Lord.