§ MR. ASCROFT (Oldham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that, in consequence of the order treating parcels under 12oz. in weight as letters, sub-postmasters who were formerly paid £1 for every 10,000 of such parcels now only receive £1 for every 52,000; and whether any arrangement has been made to remunerate the sub-postmasters for the extra trouble of weighing, labelling, stamping, and entering such parcels; and, if not, whether he will take same into consideration?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURYThe hon. Member seems to be under some misapprehension in this matter. If a packet not exceeding 12oz. in weight is marked "By Parcel Post," and handed in over the counter as a parcel, it is sent as a parcel; if not marked "By Parcel Post," and posted as a letter, it is sent as a letter. If it is treated as a letter, the sub-postmaster does no more with it than he would with an ordinary letter, and for the purposes of his remuneration it belongs to the category of letters. If, on the contrary, it is treated as a parcel, the sub-postmaster is paid for it as a parcel. The rates of remuneration for sub-postmasters quoted by the hon. Member are wholly incorrect.