§ 17. Mr. Danceasked the Postmaster-General whether he will give instructions to the counter staff at the Northfield Post Office, Birmingham 31, to do everything possible to avoid long queues forming at one counter position while other assistants remain idle.
§ Miss PikeI am having the staffing arrangements at this office reviewed with a view to reducing queues and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. DanceI thank my hon. Friend for that Answer. Is she aware that what is annoying people so much is the sort of thing of which there was an example the other day when a constituent of mine went into the Post Office to buy a postal order on which a 3d. stamp had to be placed to bring it up to the correct amount, but that when he asked to buy a stamp for a letter he was told that he had to get into a queue, which was 25 people long, and buy a stamp from the appropriate counter? Is that not ridiculous and will my hon. Friend do something to alter the situation?
§ Miss PikeI appreciate the exasperation of the person referred to in this instance. My hon. Friend probably knows that we set up a committee to look into services at counters and it recommended that we should try composite working. It is possible that that will be the answer to problems of this kind.