§ 40. Mr. HACKINGasked the Post-master-General the number of robberies of mail bags during the past 12 months; the value of the contents; and the cost to the Exchequer?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Lees-Smith)During the year 1929 56 mail hags were stolen or tampered with in course of transit. It is not possible to state the value of the contents of the bags. The amount of compensation paid by the Post Office in respect of registered letters, registered parcels and ordinary parcels contained in the hags was just under £500.
§ Mr. HACKINGCan the hon. Gentleman say whether there has been any recent increase in the number of mail bag robberies?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHNo. The figures remain fairly steady. There was an increase about Christmas time, as always happens at that period, but otherwise the losses for the last six months are slightly less than for the corresponding period of last year.
§ Mr. HACKINGIs the Postmaster-General taking any more steps to try and prevent the losses?
§ Mr. DAYCan the hon. Gentleman say whether any additional precautions have been taken by the Post Office to prevent robberies?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. LAMBERT WARDWith regard to the payment of £500 in compensation, can the Postmaster-General say what was the amount" claimed?
§ Captain P. MACDONALDDoes that cover insurance as well?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI do not think that there has been any discrepancy between the compensation claimed and the compensation paid. Very active steps are being taken to deal with this question, and I gave a complete account of them during the Debate on the Supplementary Estimates.
§ 58. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Postmaster-General if he can make any statement as to the repeated theft of mail bags within the last 10 days; and whether he can inform the House how the number of mail robberies within the last six months compares with those within the previous six months?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHDuring the last fortnight two thefts have occurred. On the 7th of this month six bags, three containing unregistered parcels and three containing newspaper packets, were rifled at Burton-on-Trent. On the 12th a bag of parcels was rifled in transit from Chippenham to Paddington. Inquiries are proceeding but it has not yet been ascertained how the thefts occurred. During the six months ended 18th March, 1929, 46 bags were stolen or tam-pared with in course of transit; during the next six months 18; and during the six months ended the 18th of this month 40 including the six bags rifled at Burton.
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThere is a certain supervision and surveillance, but of course, the protection is not so great as when they are in the hands of the Post Office itself.