HC Deb 10 July 1940 vol 362 cc1146-7
17. Vice-Admiral Taylor

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the granting of the same postal charge facilities to those serving in the Mercantile Marine as are given to those serving in His Majesty's Navy; and can he make a statement?

The Assistant Postmaster-General (Captain Waterhouse)

My right hon. Friend regrets that the administrative difficulties involved have made it impracticable to grant such a concession.

Vice-Admiral Taylor

Will my hon. and gallant Friend consider the reduction of the postage from 2½d. to 1½d. for the Mercantile Marine, as that would be a concession that would not offer administrative difficulty?

Captain Waterhouse

My hon. and gallant Friend will realise that sailors on His Majesty's ships post their mails in bags on the ships and that they are deposited at a comparatively small number of post offices, but as merchant ships call at smaller ports, it raises a difficulty which is not easy to overcome.

Vice-Admiral Taylor

Could not the postage be reduced to what it was?

Captain Waterhouse

The difficulty is to be quite sure that letters stamped with a 1½d. stamp have in fact come from the Merchant Fleet.