§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, whether they are aware of the inconvenience occasioned abroad by the failure of correspondents to stamp their letters correctly, and whether they have any plans for dealing with this matter.]
102§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, I fully agree with the noble Lord as to the importance of this question. A great deal of attention has been given to it over a long period. Great publicity has been used, including an approach to individual posters, where they can be identified, and I am glad to say that there has been a considerable fall in the number of underpaid letters for abroad posted in this country. There is actually a reduction to well under a half as between February of last year and January of this year, but the position is far from being satisfactory. I shall continue to do all I can to bring the correct rates of postage to the notice of the public.
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, while thanking the Postmaster General for that reply, may I ask him whether he has considered the policy of intercepting letters and returning them to the original sender, as I understand is the custom in America?
§ EARL DE LA WARRYes, I certainly have given consideration to that point because, until I had examined it in detail, I must confess it rather attracted me, but I found that there are certain very considerable objections. It would require legislation for the Post Office to be allowed to return letters to senders, if they are correctly addressed. Moreover, as only 20 per cent. of those who post letters abroad put their name and address on the outside of the envelope, it would necessitate opening the letters. That, again, would mean legislation—and, I think your Lordships would agree, legislation of an undesirable character.