HC Deb 19 October 1949 vol 468 cc556-60
57. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Minister of Food why the words "Britain says 'thank you for food gifts'" are stamped by his Department on letters sent to addresses in Italy.

Mr. Strachey

During the month of August some letters going out from Great Britain were franked with the words "Britain says 'Thank You for Food Gifts.'" This was one of the means adopted to convey the thanks of the nation to our friends in countries all over the world, for the 70 million food parcels and other gifts of food they have sent to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Is it the view of the right hon. Gentleman that in order to do this it is necessary to appear to beg for presents from our defeated enemies, and if that cannot be avoided under his system would it not be less humiliating to British subjects not to beg at all?

Mr. Strachey

I cannot agree that to say "Thank you" for something is to beg for something.

Mr. Molson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this stamp has also been used on all letters going to Germany, and does not he consider it extremely undesirable that a thing of this kind should be put on letters going to Germany? Is he aware that there have already been a number of protests on the subject? I have made them to the Postmaster-General, as it would appear that the responsibility for this extremely tactless action rests with his Department.

Mr. Strachey

I cannot say whether it is possible to discriminate between the countries of destination. It may have been difficult to do so, but certainly the vast majority of these letters went to the countries from which the vast majority of the parcels came.

Mr. Eden

Surely it must be possible to discriminate between Australia and New Zealand, who have sent us gifts, and the defeated countries, who are not in a position to do so? Will the right hon. Gentleman look further into the matter, and if it is not possible to discriminate, would it not be better to drop this thing altogether?

Mr. Strachey

On the discrimination point, that is a matter for the postal service.

Mr. Berry

Has not the right hon. Gentleman heard that gratitude has sometimes been interpreted as a lively sense of favours to come?

Mr. Molson

Is the Minister of Food aware that when I took this matter up with the Postmaster-General he said that the responsibility rested with the Ministry of Food?

Mr. Strachey

The responsibility for putting the words "Britain says 'Thank You for food gifts'" certainly rests with the Food Ministry, but I have been asked whether it was possible to discriminate between the destinations of the letters, and that is surely a matter for my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Beswick

Is this practice still being continued?

Mr. Strachey

I should like to have notice of that question.

Commander Noble

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this point as to which countries this stamp should be sent was discussed when the matter first came up?

Mr. Strachey

Letters were sent out during the month of August, and I understand that it proved impossible to discriminate between the countries to which they were sent.

Mr. Stokes

I am a little puzzled. Am I to understand that, if the Postmaster-General refuses to put this stamp on, it is all right, and his Department cannot make the Postmaster-General do so?

Mr. Strachey

I am somewhat puzzled by that question. The stamp was put on the letters at our request. We are now being asked whether it is possible to discriminate between the destinations of the letters.

Major Guy Lloyd

Is it not a fact that if this Government go on much longer we shall be thankful to get food parcels from anywhere?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Does the right hon. Gentleman's recent answer to a supplementary question mean that when he asked the Postmaster-General to stick this stamp on outgoing mail he did not bother to ask him whether it was possible to discriminate between the countries which have helped us so generously and the countries we defeated in the war?

Mr. Strachey

As a matter of fact, certain food parcels have come from Italy and it would be rather difficult to exclude Italy.

Mrs. Manning

is not my right hon. Friend now aware that the sense of this House is that it is nauseating to have such inscriptions on letters, and will he, from now on, exclude them, as our friends realise that we are indeed grateful for the help which we get.

Mr. Strachey

I do not think that there is anything nauseating about thanking the countries of the world. I am far from agreeing with my hon. Friend that there is anything nauseating about thanking the countries of the world, predominantly the Commonwealth and the United States, who have sent us 70 million food parcels.

Mr. Eden

May I ask the Prime Minister as a former Postmaster-General, whether it is technically impossible to send these things to one country and not to another, and would it not be better to drop this whole plan, which is disgusting in the view of the whole House?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I do not know if I am interrupting the right hon. Gentleman if he desires to answer, but if no answer is forthcoming that makes it inevitable that I must give notice to raise this matter on the Adjournment.