HL Deb 01 June 1961 vol 231 cc874-5

3.11 p.m.

LORD AIREDALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why the new 10s. stamp books contain stamps of every other value up to 3d. but none of 2½d. for use on postcards.]

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, it was decided to omit 2½d. stamps from the 10s. book and to include 2d. ones, as the former are included in the existing 5s. books and the latter did not appear in any books. This fact had given rise to some complaint. My right honourable friend will, however, be reviewing the whole range of books and their contents later this year, and he will bear the noble Lord's point in mind.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, when this matter, is being reviewed, by whoever it may be, the Postmaster General or anybody else, would it not be a grand opportunity to include in this space the small pictorial stamps for which I have been asking for the last five or six years?

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, am I to believe that the noble Viscount's supplementary question on this occasion is in lieu of the series of future Questions that he has down on the Order Paper at the moment?

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

With great respect, I am not allowed to answer questions in this House. May I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware of the saying of Goldsmith that Hope, like the gleaming taper's light, Adorns and cheers the way"? And that's me!

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, I gather that no such hope as I had in mind is liable to cheer my way to-day!

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

The noble Lord need gather nothing of the sort. I am not allowed to answer his question.

LORD MORRISON OF LAMBETH

My Lords, one has some sympathy with the noble Lord, Lord Airedale, on the point that he has raised. It is a remarkable omission. May we take it that, in addition to the 2d. stamps in the 10s. book, there are also 1½d. stamps, so that the user can use a 2d. and a ½d. stamp to make up the 2½d.?

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, in the 10s. book, to which the noble Lord was referring, there are six 2d. and six ½d. stamps. Adding together, by a mathematical calculation of which even I am capable, one of each produces the equivalent of the 2½d. stamp.

LORD SALTOUN

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord if that suggestion does not rather remind one of people who take some pudding and sauce, and then finish the pudding and take a little more pudding to finish the sauce, and then a little more sauce to finish the pudding? Would it not be better to have a 2½d. stamp straight off?

LORD ST. OSWALD

My Lords, I thought I had explained to the noble Lord in the first place that these books were compiled in order to meet an objection which had been raised earlier. However, we are now finishing an advertising campaign aimed at stimulating the sales of books of stamps, and after we have obtained the public reaction to this campaign and the new books, we shall make a complete review of all the books and decide whether any ought to be withdrawn, modified or replaced by some of other value.

LORD AIREDALE

My Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Lord for his helpful reply.