§ 25. Mr. Keelingasked the Postmaster-General whether he has found it possible to remove the anomaly of the arrangement under which aircraft flying over Western Germany carry letters to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other Communist-controlled countries without surcharge, while letters sent by air to Western Germany and Berlin incur a postage rate 50 per cent. higher.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingI am very glad to be able to say that the difficulties which stood in the way of including Germany in the scheme for the despatch of first-class mail by air without surcharge have now been resolved, and this facility will be extened to civilians in Germany, and also to members of the B.A.O.R. as from 1st June.
§ Mr. KeelingCan the Postmaster-General explain why this long-continued postal preference to Communist-controlled countries, which was not understood and was resented in Western Germany and the whole of Berlin, has not been removed before?
§ Mr. PalingI explained, on the last occasion when the hon. Member raised this matter, that it was due to the enormous amount of gift traffic that was being sent to Germany at that time.