HC Deb 27 March 1957 vol 567 cc1124-5
4 and 5. Mr. Hobson

asked the Postmaster-General (1) why there is delay in the delivery of mail in Sutton-in-Craven, near Keighley;

(2) what reply his Department sent to the Sutton Parish Council regarding complaints on the late delivery of mail; and what action has been taken.

Mr. K. Thompson

Late deliveries in the Sutton-in-Craven area have been due mainly to operational difficulties, now largely being overcome. In addition, I regret there was recently some delay to circulars posted by the Labour Party agent. This was due to a mistaken decision to spread delivery of the circulars over several days. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply sent to the Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council last November and of a further letter sent on 1st March.

Mr. Hobson

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is not merely a question of delay to Labour Party circulars, but that it was more serious in view of the fact that it affected a meeting of the Skipton Rural District Council, because there was delay in the delivery of the agendas? Does not the hon. Gentleman think that it would have been far better to have drafted the reply and dealt with the points I raised rather than to have attempted to score a political point? Is he aware that these complaints from the parish council have been made for a long time and that, until these Questions were put down, no steps were being taken to reorganise the postal services in the area? Really, it is not good enough to continue in this way.

Mr. Thompson

I am constantly under some stress to avoid scoring political points off the hon. Gentleman. We have done a great deal to put right what we recognise to be weaknesses in the postal services in the area over a considerable period. It is not quite true to say that nothing has been done. We wrote to the Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council last November and again on 1st March, and we are sending the hon. Gentleman copies of the letters.

Mr. Hobson

That is not good enough. Is the Minister aware that, quite recently, correspondence has been sent between two Yorkshire villages—adding insult to injury—via Colne, in Lancashire? It is not good enough, and something will have to be done about it.