§ 89. Mr. KILEYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware 2036 that there is continued delay in the clearance of parcels in London as a result of the collection of reparation, safeguarding of industries, and other import duties; whether his attention has been called to Notice No. 1922/12,627, dated 27th March, which contained the notification from the Customs and Excise office at Mount Pleasant of the arrival, on 16th March, of certain packages in London; and whether a method can be devised by which notice could be sent in all cases within 48 hours of arrival instead of, as in this case, 11 days?
Mr. YOUNGAs I have previously stated, a certain amount of delay is inevitable in the delivery of parcels liable to Customs duties or reparation levy, but every effort is made to reduce it to the minimum. It is only in exceptional circumstances that an interval of 48 hours is exceeded between the time any given mail is presented for Customs examination by the postal authorities and the time the notice of arrival is issued. The particular notice referred to cannot be identified from the reference quoted, but about the period mentioned there was some exceptional delay due to temporary congestion caused by the simultaneous arrival at Mount Pleasant Depot of a number of mails which had been delayed by the strike in Germany.