§ SIR F. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that repeated complaints have been made to the postal authorities regarding the insanitary and unsatisfactory nature of the post office premises at Northwood, R.S.O.; that the sanitary accommodation for the female staff at the Post Office, Northwood, R.S.O., at the corner of Green Lane and Eastbury Road is only accessible through the letter-sorting room in which the male 1433 staff is constantly at work; that the whole premises are badly ventilated and dangerous alike to the health of the staff who work in them specially and to that of the public who resort there; that the public office is quite insufficient from the point of view of capacity, as it cannot contain comfortably more than four members of the public at one time; and whether he will take immediate steps for the provision at Northwood of new and larger premises in which the staff can work under proper sanitary conditions and which will be suitable to the needs of the rapidly increasing population of the district.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am aware that complaints have been made with regard to the present sub-post office at Northwood, and the question of obtaining better accommodation has been under my personal consideration; but hitherto it has not been practicable to carry through any scheme for a new post office building owing to local building restrictions. Recently, however, I have received an offer of some premises which will, I hope, afford adequate accommodation at any rate for a time until an entirely new office can be provided. The present premises were the best which could be secured to serve the purpose temporarily, and since they were taken a good deal has been done to improve them as far as possible.