§ 3. Mr. BECKERasked the Minister of Pensions the number of letters which were despatched to the Post Office by his Department during the last 12 months?
Mr. ROBERTSI regret I have not available the figures for the whole of the Ministry throughout the United Kingdom, but I can inform the hon. Member that the number of letters despatched for delivery by the Post Office from headquarter offices in London was approximately 11,380,000 for the year ended the 31st March last.
§ Mr. BECKERDoes that mean the hon. Gentleman's Department has no idea of the number of letters they send to the Post Office? Does it mean they send them out regardless of cost?
Mr. ROBERTSNo, Sir. We have a full record, but the collection of these figures would mean an investigation of every area office throughout the country, and that would not be possible.
§ Mr. E. BROWNIs it not a fact that the absence of these statistics is largely due to the anti-waste campaign of two years ago?
§ Mr. HANNONIs it not the fact that all this correspondence is not necessarily in the interests of the ex-service men?