§ 5. Mr. Joplingasked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to promote the improvement in the accuracy of addressing of letters.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr. Joseph Slater)Publicity in the form of leaflets, notices and posters.
§ Mr. JoplingIs the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that in the appropriate section of the telephone directory for Westmorland there is a pretty drawing of Wordsworth's cottage with the caption—"Dove Cottage, Rydal, Ambleside, Westmorland"? Do not even the hon. Gentleman and his Department know that Wordsworth's cottage is at Grasmere and not at Rydal?
§ Mr. SlaterThat may be so. I cannot say [Interruption.] Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will wait while I answer.
§ Mr. SlaterMr. Speaker, I am attempting to answer the supplementary which has been asked by the hon. Gentleman who tabled the Question.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman must get on with his answer.
§ Mr. SlaterI am very grateful to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling) for the Question that he has tabled, because it gives me the opportunity of saying that, thanks to the skill of our sorters, most letters are delivered on time, but about ½ million a day—[Interruption.] I am saying this for the benefit of hon. Members—are badly addressed and slow down sorting. Half of them have to be given special attention. I shall look into the point the hon. Gentleman raised in regard to their addressing.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Wordsworth was long but answers should be short.
§ Mr. JoplingOn a point of order. Mr. Speaker. In view of the non-existent answer to my Question, I beg to give notice—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Notice of intention to raise a matter on the Adjournment must be given in the conventional way. Other words waste time.