HC Deb 11 March 1953 vol 512 cc1272-3
27. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why letters posted in London take three days to reach Knutsford in the Knutsford Division.

Mr. Gammans

If my hon. and gallant Friend will let me have details of any letter which has been so delayed, I will gladly look into the matter. Letters and postcards—but not correspondence at the printed paper rate—posted in London in time for the 6–7.30 p.m. collections, should be delivered in Knutsford by the first delivery next week-day, and such letters and postcards posted in time for the 8.15–9 p.m. collections should be delivered by the second delivery.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

Is my hon. Friend aware that I have been writing to his Department since 1945 and that all I have got have been stone-walling letters in reply and that the service, instead of getting better, is getting worse? Can I repeat the special request on behalf of the Knutsford division which I made some eight or nine summers ago—would my hon. Friend consider reducing the charge, as this service is so bad?

Mr. Gammans

If my hon. Friend will only give me specific cases, I will have them investigated.

Mr. Nahum

While not wishing to prod my hon. Friend, will he tell the House why the county of Cheshire, in which my hon. and gallant Friend's constituency is situated, seems to be singled out for such very poor postal services? Is he aware that constantly my mail between Chester and London has been held up for two or three days? Why should that be when there is a main-line railway service?

Mr. Gammans

I would ask hon. Members on both sides of the House not to make these wild allegations. If they will let me have specific instances of late deliveries of letters, I promise them that they will be thoroughly investigated. I would point out that it is only by investigation of complaints of that sort that the Post Office can do its job.

Mr. W. R. Williams

Will the Minister urge on his hon. Friend the necessity to give specific instances of what he has in mind, because unless he has got some concrete evidence that his correspondence has been delayed, ought he not to apologise to this House and to the workers in the Post Office?