§ 28. Mr. Harry Greenwayasked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he is taking to issue self-seal House envelopes to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WakehamI am aware of my hon. Friend's interest in this matter and he will know that three types of white self-seal post-paid envelopes approved by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee have been issued to right hon. and hon. Members through the Serjeant at Arms stores since July last year. In addition, a stronger self-seal brown envelope is being tried and the results of the experiment will be reported to the Sub-Committee as soon as practicable.
§ Mr. GreenwayWill my right hon. Friend see whether we can move over completely to self-seal envelopes? While we may need a mix, as some colleagues obviously want this, could we consider the opinions of secretaries, who find the present gum on envelopes so obnoxious? Could we not change the taste to peppermint or something more pleasant?
§ Mr. WakehamThe Services Committee takes a keen interest in these matters, and I am sure that the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee will look into any points that my hon. Friend has in mind.
§ Mr. FauldsAs the right hon. Gentleman probably knows, the Services Committee has dealt with this matter. Most of us have enough spit to seal our own envelopes, and the self-seal envelopes that were somehow or other got together by the Services Committee do not stick.
§ Mr. WakehamI am aware that there has been a fault, with which Her Majesty's Stationery Office is dealing. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 6 April.
§ Mr. GowWhy is it that we do not have second-class self-seal envelopes? Why do we have only first-class envelopes?
§ Mr. WakehamIf my hon. Friend feels strongly about this matter, I am sure that he will take it up with the Committee direct.
Mr. John Mark TaylorDoes my right hon. Friend know whether any of these envelopes come from South Africa? If they do not, why is he discriminating against black workers in South Africa in this way?
§ Mr. WakehamFurther to my previous answer, they do not come from South Africa.
§ Mr. MaddenWill the Lord Privy Seal write to the Services Committee, using any envelope of his choice, to protest about any South African goods being made available in the House, as the vast majority of Members find such economic support for the evil regime of apartheid totally repugnant? Will he—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman's supplementary does not relate to this question.
§ Mr. WakehamThe answer to the hon. Gentleman is no, Sir.