§ MR. F. W. FISON (Doncaster)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he can state when the reduction of the charge in the postage of Foreign and Colonial letters from 2½d. to 2d. will come into effect?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURYIt is not possible to state at present whether the initial rate of letter postage to places abroad will be reduced to 2d. The hon. Member may recollect that the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget speech 1207 last Session that this proposed reduction needed the consent of the Postal Union; and that consent has been withheld. In default of a general reduction, Her Majesty's Government would be willing to reduce the postage to 2d. to all parts of Her Majesty's Dominions; and on this point Measures have been taken to ascertain the views of the Colonial and Indian Governments.