HC Deb 19 March 1952 vol 497 cc2315-6
41 and 42. Mr. C. R. Hobson

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) if he will consider an ex gratia payment of £20 being made to the Metropolitan Police Rugby Club in part payment of expenses incurred through the delay in London of delivery of telegram No. 000093 on 26th January, 1952;

(2) why a telegram, No. 000093, sent from Bleasby NG on 26th January, 1952, at 8.37 a.m., and recorded in London at 8.46 a.m., was not delivered to Great Scotland Yard until 11.20 a.m.

Mr. Gammans

With the hon. Member's permission, I will answer Questions 41 and 42 together.

Mr. Hobson

I desire my Questions to be answered separately, because they deal with two different issues.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member withholds his permission for the two Questions to be answered together.

Mr. Gammans

I shall be pleased to read the same answer twice, if the hon. Gentleman prefers that.

My noble Friend much regrets the inconvenience caused to the club by the delay in delivery of their telegram: this arose because the telegram was accidentally sent to the wrong delivery office. The Postmaster-General is not liable for loss sustained in connection with telegrams, and, moreover, when the margin of time is very short, as it was in this case, it is desirable to use the priority service or the telephone. Nevertheless, my noble Friend is arranging in the exceptional circumstances to make an ex gratia payment to the club of £20.