§ LORD SOUTHWARK had given Notice to ask His Majesty's Government—
§ (1) Whether they will grant a Return stating what the revenue was from the sale of penny stamps between June 1 and December 31, 1913; twopenny stamps between June 1 and December 31, 1921; penny-halfpenny stamps between June 1 and December 31, 1922; and
§ (2) Whether, as the Postmaster-General is not a member of the Cabinet, they will, during the recess, ascertain from him whether there are any departmental reasons beyond revenue why, in in the interest of trade and commerce, the penny postage should not be immediately restored without waiting until the end of the financial year.
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, my Questions both relate to postal matters, and in putting them to His Majesty's Government I should like to say that I am in no way attacking the Postmaster-General. On the contrary, I desire to assist him in his recently-expressed earnest desire to restore penny postage and reduce postal rates, but I wish to impress upon 468 His Majesty's Government, and especially upon the noble Marquess who is leading the House, if he will honour me by replying, that a reduction of postal charges is not a departmental question only, but is a great national question. It is a question for both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade, and, if I may say so, for the Government as a whole.
§ The President of the Board of Trade rendered very considerable service in his Office as Minister in the Overseas Trade Department, and only yesterday he gave expression to a view which I was glad to read this morning. He said what a great many other people have said—namely, that the only way to get rid of unemployment was to revive trade, and he went on to say that the extent and the rapidity of that revival must depend in large measure upon skill, enterprise and initiative. Those are qualities that I wish his Majesty's Government to exhibit. I would impress upon them that the present postal charges are greatly retarding trade revival. They are a drag on the wheels of industry, and I am sure the business world will say that there ought to be modifications at once.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, with reference to the request for a Return, my only hesitation is that I have not yet received information as to whether there would be any difficulty in granting it. I apprehend not, and in that case it shall be granted. I must put in that saving clause, however, in case there is any difficulty.
With regard to the second Question, everyone must agree with the noble Lord that cheap postage is much in the interests of trade. No one doubts it, and I will take care that his message is conveyed to the Postmaster-General so that he may consider this matter during the recess. He has but recently accepted the office which he now holds and it is perhaps rather unfair to ask him to reply through me this morning, but the matter shall certainly be inquired into during the recess. The noble Lord will understand that our financial position is such that we do not want to try doubtful experiments. That would be a very dangerous thing to do, but if it should appear that the noble Lord is well advised when he says that it would improve trade without throwing any burden on the Exchequer, I have no doubt that my right hon. friend the Postmaster-General will consider the suggestion favourably.
§ LORD BUCKMASTERMy Lords, I should like to support what the noble Marquess has just said. I hope that no attempt will be made to subsidise the Post Office out of other Taxes. I should regard it as ft most dangerous experiment, and although all of us would delight to see any effort made to restore trade it is difficult to understand how the real obstacle we are encountering to-day, which consists in our inability to export our goods, is removed by facilities for domestic and internal commerce. The real thing against internal commerce is the fact that people have not the money with which to buy, and if you are going to take more from them by taxation in order to obtain cheap postage they will have still less with which to buy, and you will not make their purchasing easier by flooding them with advertisements of goods they are unable to acquire. I am very glad that the noble Marquess has safeguarded himself in the answer he has given.
§ LORD SOUTHWARKMy Lords, may I say that I do not desire any other facilities than those spoken of by the noble and learned Lord? All I say is that you will find that a reduction of postage rates means an increase of revenue.