HC Deb 19 May 1965 vol 712 cc1455-7

Mr. Gibson-Watt (by Private Notice) asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to remedy the acute shortage of postage stamps; and what are the reasons for it.

The Postmaster-General (Mr. Anthony Wedgwood Benn)

Current shortages of postage stamps are the result of an unofficial ban on overtime and a one-day official strike by staff at the Post Office Supplies Depots who are dissatisfied with a current wages offer. Discussions on referring the matter to arbitration are under way; and in these circumstances I much regret that the staff concerned have thought fit to bring pressure of this type to bear.

Fresh stocks of stamps are being got to Post Offices as rapidly as can be arranged, and meantime we are doing all we can to relieve local shortages where they exist by redistributing stocks as between post offices. I am sorry that the public is being inconvenienced by this unofficial action which I earnestly hope that those concerned will bring to a speedy end.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman was able to give us the reason for this shortage. Will he accept that this is a grievous and serious inconvenience to the public, and that on an occasion when he raises the postal rate by 25 per cent., from an administrative point of view it should be possible to ensure that there are sufficient stamps available to see that the rise in postage can be carried out? Will he, further, do his best to see that issues of future and new stamps, which are also held up at present, will come out at the earliest possible moment? Can he say something further on that?

Mr. Benn

As the House knows, one of the earliest actions that we had to take when the situation got serious was to defer, which I did with the deepest regret, the commemorative stamps for Sir Winston Churchill and also the International Telecommunication Union, but I must stress that there is no shortage of stamps in the depots. The shortage in post offices is due to the unofficial action taken, and the one-day strike, and I very much hope that it will now come to a conclusion.

Mr. Sharples

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why it was that when postal charges were to be increased he did not make previous arrangements for sufficient stocks of stamps to be available?

Mr. Benn

The normal provision for new stamp issues went ahead, but in this case the unofficial action has been going on for some time. The depot has got behind, and although we have taken emergency action, the fact is that the supply of stamps depends on normal, and indeed overtime, working in the supplies depot.

Mr. A. J. Irvine

Did I correctly hear my right hon. Friend referring to a pressure which he deplored? Is he sure that he is being fair in this matter? Is it not possible that there is a case for the men concerned to which, in fairness, the House ought to have regard?

Mr. Benn

I have seen the union leaders myself five times on this issue. We have done our best to reach an agreement, but there is a gap between us which can be resolved only by arbitration, and in these circumstances it simply is not possible to settle the matter. In addition to the offer that we made, we made an interim offer to the union to cover the fact that this related back, and this, also, has been refused.

Mr. Heath

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this shows complete incompetence by himself and an absolute lack of foresight and planning to make proper provision for these stamps? Instead of standing at that Box and openly admitting his failure, he is passing the blame on to his staff. This is entirely unacceptable to the House. At last the right hon. Gentleman has been found out, and found out absolutely.

Mr. Benn

I think that, coming from a former Minister of Labour, whom I have frequently heard at this Box dealing with delicate industrial situations, that intervention is singularly unhelpful.

Mr. Buchan

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is a matter of considerable regret that the Opposition should seek to make political capital out of an issue of such delicacy as this, in which justice is involved on both sides?

Mr. Robert Cooke

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how many 1d. stamps were available on sale at 9.45 this morning at the Members' Post Office in this House?

Mr. Benn

The position varies from region to region—[HON. MEMBERS: "What about the position in the House?"] The position is that there are 1d. stamps in the depots, but, owing to the unofficial action there, it is not possible to get the stamps out.

Mr. Robert Cooke

One, Sir.