§ 32. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Postmaster-General when he estimates he will be able to guarantee the next-day delivery of letters bearing a 5d. stamp and marked First Class, which are posted before the final collection time, to destinations of less than 100 miles way.
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. John Stonehouse)Overall 94 per cent. next-day delivery is being achieved against an estimated maximum possible performance of 95 per cent. The percentage achievement for destinations within 100 miles is even higher.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithNevertheless, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many people are convinced from personal experience that the alleged first-class service is inferior to and less reliable than the old 4d. service, and will he resist any pressure which may be brought to bear on him by the Prime Minister or his Cabinet colleagues on the question of implementing the new report on the two-tier system which would make the postal service even slower than it is now?
§ Mr. StonehouseI am not aware of that, and it is, in fact, not correct according to all the statistics and the reports we have received on performance. On the development of the two-tier system, we have made public an internal report and we are awaiting reports back on that.