§ 5. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to adapt Post Office techniques and machines to be ready for the introduction of decimalisation; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr. Joseph Slater)Many areas of Post Office activity are affected by decimalisation. Work is proceeding to ensure that the Post Office is ready in all respects for the changeover.
§ Mr. RobertsCan my hon. Friend say whether, by decimalisation D-day, all Post Office stamp vending machines and public telephones will be capable of use 562 with the new currency? If not, will ancient and modern coinage, if I may use the phrase, be able to be used in machines? Is there not a case, because of the heavy cost of conversion, for postponement of decimalisation D-day as an economic saving?
§ Mr. SlaterThe greater part of what my hon. Friend has said might be better directed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We are arranging for coin box mechanisms to be modified in advance of D-day, as far as practicable, to permit easy and speedy conversion to the new coinage.
§ Mr. LubbockWill the hon. Gentleman consider having all future stamp-vending machines ordered by his Department based on the shilling, which will remain unaltered under decimalisation, and also, where stamps of smaller value than 1 s. are sold, having the machines modified to sell several simultaneously?
§ Mr. SlaterThe present stamp and stamp booklet machines cannot be converted and we are having them replaced during the two years preceding D-day by new machines, which will dispense a number of stamps of mixed denominations for a single coin common to both monetary systems.
§ Mr. Stratton MillsHow much will modifications for decimal coinage cost the Post Office?
§ Mr. SlaterI am not in a position to answer that now but perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question.