§ Q5. Mr. Gibson-Wattasked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Postmaster-General at Aberdeen on 14th October on the future of the Post Office represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattIs the Prime Minister aware that in that speech the Postmaster-General referred to the handicap he felt in having to answer on every detail of Post Office work in the House of Commons? Is it his intention to relieve his right hon. Friend of those responsibilities?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend did not say that accountability to Parliament should not continue. He said that it created special difficulties for the Post Office, which is the only publicly-owned industry subject to detailed Parliamentary control. In fact, the words which he used were used previously by a very distinguished Conservative Postmaster-General.