§ 15. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the Post Office.
§ Mr. HeseltineI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall).
§ Mr. GreenwayIs my right hon. Friend aware of the wonderful support that I have had from my constituents in battles to save five post offices? Public meetings which I organised were attended by hundreds of people. Each of the post offices was saved and enhanced as part of Post Office Counters. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that, in the event of privatisation, the services of those post offices will be further enhanced? Will he also look at the issue of postal collections across London on Sundays, which are currently rare? More collections are needed. If the Post Office is privatised will there be more postal collections on Sundays?
§ Mr. HeseltineI have no doubt whatever of my hon. Friend's unremitting efforts on behalf of the post offices in his constituency. I am delighted to hear of the success which I am sure he richly deserves. I should properly refer matters such as post office services on Sundays in London to the Post Office board and I shall rapidly do so.
§ Mr. Bryan DaviesIs not another attractive feature of Post Office privatisation for the Government the fact that yet another board will be created which superannuated Ministers can join and draw healthy emoluments for their services?
§ Mr. HeseltineThe hon. Gentleman will remember that that precedent was established by Labour when it created nationalised industries and transferred Ministers to run them.