§ 13. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Postmaster-General what new steps he is taking to enable the Post Office to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.
§ Mr. K. ThompsonI am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that special arrangements have been made to meet requests for mail posted in Alloway on 25th January to be postmarked "Alloway Ayr". People living away from the district may send under cover to the Head Postmaster, Head Post Office, Ayr, fully stamped and addressed envelopes for date-stamping and posting at Alloway on 25th January. The cover should be endorsed "Burns Bicentenary" and should be posted in time to arrive at Ayr by Saturday, 24th January. I hope the hon. Member will feel that we have tried to be as helpful as we could about the 200th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that this mean and miserable so-called commemoration is utterly inadequate, and would he, if he cannot publish a Burns stamp, allow us to use Russian stamps and send them to Alloway to be posted? Is he aware that his actions contrast very strongly with those of the United States Government and that the United States Information Service is telling us what Washington is doing about the Burns bicentenary? Is he not ashamed to come here with that paltry excuse?
§ Mr. ThompsonThank goodness I am not answerable for what the United States postal authorities do. I do not intend to allow the provocative attitude of the hon. Gentleman to force me to withdraw this arrangement.