§ 31 and 34. Commander Locker-Lampsonasked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he will consider setting up stamping machines so as to avoid the process by which letters to be sent require, perhaps, three separate stamps to be bought, licked and stuck on?
(2) whether he will introduce into the House of Commons a stamping machine to avoid postage stamps and the attendant expense in labour and material?
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. W. S. Morrison)I am not aware of any coin-operated stamping or franking machine which is not open to serious disadvantages. Even if a satisfactory machine of this kind were available, it would be necessary to produce it in quantity in order to replace the very large numbers of automatic stamp-selling machines in Post Office use; and this would entail a considerable expenditure of skilled labour and material which could not be contemplated at the present time. Considerations of labour and material also preclude any question of adapting automatic stamp-selling machines to sell 2½d. stamps.
§ Commander Locker-LampsonHave not Neo-Post perfected a stamping machine which operates under Government licence and is in use by the Post Office, and could not one be installed by way of experiment in the House of Commons?
§ Mr. MorrisonThat is another question. I will consider it.