§ 13. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Postmaster-General whether he is yet in a position to formulate in detail the manner in which he proposes to meet the increased charge of £11 million per year which he recently announced.
§ Mr. MarplesNo, Sir. Further pay settlements may be made shortly. I will inform the House of the consequences when the whole effect on the Post Office budget is clearer.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsWill the Postmaster-General give an assurance to the House that when these changes are to be announced he will announce them orally, and in the House, and not on a Thursday, in a written reply to a "stooge" Question?
§ Mr. MarplesThe right hon. Gentle man is, again, mistaken. The Written Answer on the Thursday about the 382 alteration in Post Office services followed the precedent set by the party opposite, when the noble Lord, Lord Listowel, was Postmaster-General. So far as increases of charges are concerned, I will, again, follow the precedent, which is to announce them orally in the House.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the change was announced in this House orally and was the subject of debate, and that it was not done behind the back of the House by means of a Question for written reply?
§ Mr. MarplesI am quite certain that the right hon. Gentleman is wrong, because I made a particular point of looking up the precedent of what the noble Lord, Lord Listowel, did when he was Postmaster-General. I am afraid that the right hon. Gentleman is wrong.
§ Mr. C. R. HobsonIs the Postmaster-General aware that when the increased cable and wireless charges were made public by his predecessor, they were disclosed in reply to a "stooge" Question for Written Answer on the last day before the House adjourned for the summer Recess?
§ Mr. MarplesIncreased charges will be announced orally in this House. The alteration of postal services was announced in reply to a Question for Written Answer, which is precisely what the party opposite did.
§ 15. Mr. Winterbottomasked the Postmaster-General what has been the total amount of additional reserves gained as a result of increased charges for Post Office services since 1951.
§ 25 and 26. Mr. C. R. Hobsonasked the Postmaster-General (1) what has been the increase in revenue due to increase in Post Office charges for the years 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956;
(2) what has been the total increase in the Post Office wages bill for each of the years 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956.
§ Mr. MarplesI would refer the hon. Members to the Ansper my predecessor gave to the hon. Members for Brightside (Mr. Winterbottom) and for Caernarvon (Mr. G. Roberts) on 18th April, 1956.
§ Mr. WinterbottomHas the Minister not had time to waken since then? Does 383 he not understand that this information is being sought in order that we shall know the position in the Post Office? Surely, we can have these matters revealed to us quite clearly by means of Question and Answer in this House?
§ Mr. MarplesThe hon. Gentleman has only to go to the Library. All the information will be found there.
§ 17. Mr. Winterbottomasked the Postmaster-General if he will list the individual increases in charges for Post Office services made since October, 1951.
§ Mr. MarplesI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer my predecessor gave him on 18th April, 1956.