§ 11. Mr. Championasked the Minister of National Insurance if he will take the administrative steps necessary to ensure that people writing to his Department at Blackpool about pensions and family allowances will receive an early acknowledgment of their letters.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsDuring the war the routine acknowledgment of incoming letters was very largely suspended by Government Departments; but I have now given instructions that in future all letters addressed to my Ministry are to be acknowledged unless a substantive reply is expected to be sent within seven days. It has always been the practice to acknowledge the receipt of the claims themselves.
§ Mr. ShurmerIs the Minister aware that many of these old age pensioners meet with kindness on the part of postmistresses up and down the country and, in writing for these old people who cannot write for themselves, these postmistresses are receiving very curt replies from the Ministry at Blackpool? Will he see that in future they get decent replies?
§ Mr. GriffithsI regret that, and I wish to acknowledge freely the assistance given to us by the postmasters and postmistresses in the 27,000 post offices of this country, who collaborate with us in the issue of these pension books.