§ SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he can say whether the Report of Lord Tweedmouth's Committee will be accompanied by the decision of the Postmaster General upon its recommendations and a scheme for giving effect to them; and whether, having regard to the long period that has elapsed between the appointment of the Committee and the presentation of the Report and the delay in making its recomendations known, the revision following the Report will be ante-dated to the time when those recomendations were originally forwarded to the Treasury, as was done in the case of the Fawcett Revision of 1881, so that those affected will not suffer through the protracted delay?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Report of Lord Tweedmouth's Committee was received by the Postmaster General on the 21st December last. The Report has been laid on the Table of this House, with a copy of the Treasury letter conveying their decision on the recommendation of the Report. The period that elapsed between the appointment of the Committee and the presentation of the Report was occupied in receiving and considering the evidence which it was the desire of the staff to give. I am not prepared to admit, having regard to the elaborate nature of the inquiry, that the period was long, or that any delay has since occurred in considering the conclusions of the Committee. I can see no reason for antedating any changes which may be introduced in accordance with the Committee's recommendation.
§ SIR J. LENGWhen will the Report be distributed?
§ MR. HANBURYThat depends upon the printers, but I should hope certainly on Monday.
§ MR. CHARLES SHAW (Stafford)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can state definitely the date on which the Report of the Committee on the Post Office will be presented to the House?
§ MR. HANBURYThe hon. Member, will doubtless see that the Return has already been presented.