§ 3. Mr. Snowasked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement concerning the loss of a mail bag dispatched from Tamworth, Staffs., on 27th February, containing cheques deposited with a local bank; and on what date the loss of this mail bag was notified to the Tamworth bank in question.
§ Mr. MawbyThe mail bag in question was dispatched to London on the evening of 27th February, and contained unregistered letters, including five packets posted by different banks in Tamworth and reported to have contained cheques. I regret that, in spite of the fullest inquiries, we have been unable to trace how the loss occurred. As the packets were unregistered we had no details concerning them and 898 could not notify the senders before they informed us, at various dates, that the packets had not been delivered.
§ Mr. SnowMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that that is an extremely unsatisfactory Answer? Why was there a ten-day delay before the bank in question was advised about the loss? Why does postal control in Birmingham persist in regarding this as ordinary unregistered mail when these cheques were dispatched in official pouches and, therefore, presumably were subject to special control? What special tightening up has followed the raising of this sort of issue in the House three months ago?
§ Mr. MawbyThe hon. Gentleman has given me some information which I did not have before. He suggests that the cheques were in pouches. That is a matter at which I shall have to look, because at the moment I am not aware of that. So far as I know, these were sent as normal unregistered mail, and therefore it is impossible to know what was contained in those bags when they disappeared, but I shall consider the point raised by the hon. Gentleman.