§ 35. Mr. Collinsasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that sub-post offices at Bradford on Tone and Langford Budville, Somerset, have been closed owning to staffing difficulties; and what steps he proposes to take to provide postal facilities in these villages.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingYes, Sir. Every effort has been and will continue to be made to reopen these offices at the earliest possible moment. Unfortunately, candidates for the vacant sub-postmasterships are not immediately forthcoming. For the time being, a postal clerk is attending in each village for two hours on Friday afternoons to pay pensions and transact other Post Office business.
§ Mr. CollinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that the fundamental cause of difficulties of this kind is the great improvement in the wages and living conditions of other rural workers which has been recently brought about, and that this condition may therefore be permanent? Cannot he consider some other means of supplying these small villages with postal facilities by other means, such as travelling post offices?
§ Mr. PalingThese people have had a rise within the last two years. I should say that the biggest difficulty is the question of getting suitable places.
§ Mr. ThurtleOn a point of Order. May I call your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that my borough has an excellent motto—"More light"?