§ 2.43 p.m.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lord, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, having regard to their policy of promoting a better knowledge overseas of the British way of life, the Postmaster General will consider reducing the postage charged on British periodicals despatched from this country to addresses overseas.]
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, newspapers and periodicals sent abroad by surface means enjoy specially reduced rates. There are also special low air mail rates for publications registered as newspapers at the G.P.O. The cost of these concessions is appreciable and while, therefore, my right honourable friend has much sympathy with the suggestion, he could not contemplate further reductions at the present time.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, would the noble Lord ask the Chancellor of the Duchy and the Postmaster-General to consider the importance of facilitating the transmission round the world of such famous journals as the Illustrated London News and similar papers, which carry information as to the British way of life to discerning readers, but which are necessarily heavy?
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, these publications, if sent by air, enjoy 390 a concession of this nature so long as they are accepted by the G.P.O. as newspapers. I will not go into the detail of what constitutes a newspaper in this sense—I cannot; nor can I say whether the periodical that my noble friend has mentioned is among them. But the status of "newspaper" is always stamped on the back of the periodical if it is entitled to this concession.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, do I gather from the first Answer of the noble Lord that in fact the subsidised rate now means that, on the conveyance of these particular journals, a loss is already being sustained by the Post Office?
LORD ST. OSWALDYes, the noble Viscount is quite right; a quite considerable loss is being sustained already.