§ The Under-Secretary of State for War (Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make an announcement about Christmas parcels for Korea and Malaya.
I am glad to be able to inform the House that the difficulties which I mentioned on 15th November have been overcome and that one Christmas parcel of not more than 3 1b. will be accepted for conveyance by air, free of postage, to each member of our Forces in Korea and Japan. The concession will extend, as 1730 it did last year, to men sent to Malaya after 8th November, the last date for posting parcels to that country by surface route.
I will circulate full particulars of the scheme, which is to start tomorrow, in the OFFICIAL REPORT. They will also be available at post offices.
§ Miss Elaine BurtonIn welcoming the statement that the Government are to continue the policy inaugurated by the late Government last year, may I ask the Minister if he is aware of the very real appreciation which will be felt not only by the men themselves but by their relatives and friends? Would he not also agree that the basic problem is the prohibitive cost of sending parcels by air to men in the Far East as compared with men stationed elsewhere, and, after Christmas, would he look closely at that point?
§ Mr. HutchisonI am glad that it has been possible to meet the representations made by the hon. Lady and by other Members of the House. We had a full debate on the broader question of parcels to all theatres of war at all times of the year, and I do not think that there has been any change in the circumstances to warrant our making a change in the decision of that time.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsWhile agreeing with my hon. Friend that this announcement is most welcome, may I ask the hon. Gentleman to take into account the fact that there is very little time in which to make this information generally known? Will he issue the information through the B.B.C. or by other means and give the maximum amount of publicity to this arrangement, so that all the men's relatives in this country may take full advantage of the scheme?
§ Mr. HutchisonYes, Sir. The details announced in the OFFICIAL REPORT Will be issued by the Post Office to the Press and to the B.B.C.
§
Following are the details:
One parcel up to 3 1b. in weight addressed to each member of His Majesty's Forces, and crews of Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, in Korea and Japan, will be accepted at any post office free of postage and will be conveyed by air mail. This concession also applies in respect of each member of His Majesty's Forces who left the United Kingdom for Malaya after the last date of posting of surface mail parcels for that country (8th November).
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Parcels must be prominently marked "CHRISTMAS PARCEL FOR KOREA" (or "MALAYA" as the case may be) and have a blue Air Mail label affixed next to each address on the parcel.
The latest dates of posting for these parcels are 8th of December for Korea and Japan and 12th of December for Malaya.
The public are earnestly requested not to exceed the allotment of one 3 1b. parcel for each addressee.