HC Deb 25 April 1977 vol 930 cc712-3
18. Dr. Glyn

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will exercise his powers under the Post Office Act 1969 to direct the Chairman of the Post Office to break down the accounts published so as to reveal the cost of various services including the saving resulting from the cessation of postal collections on Sundays.

Mr. Les Huckfield

No, Sir.

Dr. Glyn

Is the Minister aware of what his hon. Friend the Member for Lambeth, Central (Mr. Lipton) said—that there is now no direct responsibility for the Post Office in the House? Does he also agree that the inconvenience caused to the public who wish to post a letter after the last collection on a Saturday is unreasonable, since they cannot now get that letter delivered until Tuesday? Does the Minister further agree that the cost of this service ought to be made known to the public, because the public are concerned about the service? I should have thought that under the powers in the Act he is entitled to call for a proper costing, which the Minister of State did not give when replying to supplementary questions put to him on Question No. 1.

Mr. Huckfield

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will note what the Chairman of the Post Office Corporation said about Sunday collections, namely, that the final and absolute decision has not been taken. I am extremely surprised to hear what the hon. Gentleman says about the Post Office, bearing in mind that it was a Conservative Government's policies that were directly responsible for one of the biggest Post Office losses ever recorded.

Mr. Wrigglesworth

While many of us on the Government side are strongly opposed to the dropping of Sunday collections, before my hon. Friend looks into the Post Office Act powers and starts thinking about interfering in the management of the Post Office will he look at "The Right Approach", the Conservative Party document, in which there is a statement that the Government should not interfere in such public enterprises?

Mr. Huckfield

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who has pointed out what many of us realise—that one does not know nowadays who represents Her Majesty's Opposition.