HC Deb 27 January 1943 vol 386 cc484-5
29. Mr. R. Morgan

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of his advertised appeal to the public to use more airgraphs, he will take steps to shorten the time of transmission of those airgraphs which are normally sent?

Mr. W. S. Morrison

With the co-operation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air, airgraph mails are conveyed all the way by air to the appropriate Base, and my hon. Friend may be assured that every effort is made to ensure that they are conveyed by the most expeditious service available for the purpose at the material time.

Mr. Morgan

While thanking the Postmaster-General for his answer, is there any special reason why there is an extraordinary delay in messages to the troops and in replies from the troops in India?

Mr. Morrison

There are some cases of delay inevitably, because the addressee may be at a point of the front very distant from the place where the airgraph is received and processed, but, on the whole, the transmission times, excluding photographic processes, are about 15 days to India and South Africa and about eight days to other areas of war.

Mr. McKinlay

Is this because of a shortage of staff?

Major Lyons

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say how it is that airgraphs reach this country more quickly than do letters sent by air mail?

Mr. Morrison

Yes, Sir, they reach this country more quickly than letters sent by the ordinary air mail because a great part of the ordinary air mail letters journey is done by sea.