§ 41. Captain HACKINGasked the Postmaster-General the total number of claims which have been received by the Post Office on account of damage to parcels, the number of claims for which responsibility has been acknowledged by the Post Office, and the amount of money paid out in respect of these claims during the six months ended 30th June, 1914, and during the six months ended 30th June, 1919; and, if there is a difference, how the same is accounted for?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Illingworth)I am unable, without calling for special returns, to state the total number of claims received on account of damage to parcels during the precise periods mentioned, but during the two years ended 31st March, 1914, and 31st March, 1919, the number of such claims for which responsibility was acknowledged by the Post Office, and the amount of compensation paid, were:
The increase in the amount of compensation paid during the latter period may, I think, be attributed to the general rise in the value of articles sent by parcel post.
Number. Amount. 1913–14 10,950 £3,051 1918–19 9,203 £5,053