§ 60. Mr. Alan McKibbinasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why a registered postal packet containing jewellery consigned by C.L.M. and Company, Limited, Birmingham, and delivered to Messrs. Sharman D. Neill, Limited, Belfast, on 16th November, was opened for Customs examination.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIt is regretted that this parcel for Belfast was opened in error. Through a sorting mistake, it was included with post parcel exports to the Irish Republic, which are subject to Customs examination to insure that licences are produced for exports which require them. When the error was noticed, the packet was at once re-sealed.
§ Mr. McKibbinDoes not the Financial Secretary consider that if these mistakes are made, it would be much more economical and would save Members of Parliament and various officials a lot of trouble if the Customs were to send a 2½d. letter to the consignee explaining that a mistake had been made? Does my hon. Friend not consider that the package which I sent to him, and which had contained valuable diamond rings, if it was unpacked, should have been repacked in a much safer manner than with pieces of sticky paper which anyone could have duplicated?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI will see that my hon. Friend's first suggestion is carefully considered. So far as the second question is concerned, we are not in principle in favour of use of sticky paper for this purpose.