HC Deb 23 February 1966 vol 725 cc400-1
8. Mr. Manuel

asked the Postmaster-General how many Burns stamps have been sold to the nearest convenient date; and how the number compares with the sale of the Shakespeare stamps over the corresponding period from the date of their issue.

Mr. Benn

I am sorry but we have no central records which would enable me to give the information requested by my hon. Friend. But they have proved extremely popular.

Mr. Manuel

May I compliment my right hon. Friend on his decision to authorise the issue of this stamp? Is he aware that many previous Postmasters-General turned down the request? Is he further aware that there were five stamps in the Shakespeare issue but only two in the Burns issue, and in Scotland many more stamps in the Burns issue have been sold?

Mr. Benn

There have been 93 million stamps issued to postmasters, but without very expansive statistics it is not possible to produce a list of the "Top of the Bardic Pops" in this sense.