HL Deb 22 February 1968 vol 289 cc562-4

3.18 p.m.

LORD INGLEWOOD

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 what discussions have been taking place over the last twelve months with the countries of Eastern Europe—including the Soviet Union—with a view to effecting an improvement in both directions in the postal services.]

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, the countries of Eastern Europe, including the U.S.S.R., are, like this country, members of the Universal Postal Union whose aim is to secure the improvement of the postal services throughout the world and to promote international postal collaboration. Meeting of the councils of the Union, in which this country and some of the countries of Eastern Europe have taken part, have provided a number of opportunities over the last twelve months for multilateral discussions aimed at improving the postal services.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that full explanation, but may I also ask him to represent to his colleague responsible that the postal services between London and the principal cities and countries of Eastern Europe are a great deal slower than the services between, say, London and Athens and the principal cities of the Eastern Mediterranean, where the distances are greater. Since efficient and speedy postal services are important in the interests of trade, quite apart from the personal relations aspect, will he do what he can to see that these services are improved, because there really is room for improvement.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I will certainly convey the noble Lord's question and remarks to the right quarter. My information is that very few complaints have actually reached us on this matter. There have been some complaints, but very few considering the large volume of correspondence involved. Bearing in mind what the noble Lord has said, I will certainly see that this is conveyed to the appropriate quarter.

LORD INLGEWOOD

My Lords, would the noble Lord not agree that because these services are used in a very limited way it is not surprising that he has had very few complaints? Will he please look into this again, because a delay of five, six or seven days between London and one of the capitals of the Eastern European countries, which is quite normal for an ordinary letter, is really not acceptable in the 1960s.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I am sure the noble Lord will appreciate that the fault does not necessarily lie on this side.

LORD INGLEWOOD

I did not suggest it does.

LORD SORENSEN

It may be on the other side. Certainly I will see that the noble Lord's observations are conveyed to the appropriate quarter. When I spoke of the small number of complaints, that is comparatitve. It does not matter what the number of complaints is; it is the proportion of those complaints to the total volume of correspondence, and it is important to remember that, compared with what they might be, the number of complaints is relatively small.

LORD ST. HELENS

My Lords, may I suggest to the noble Lord that he should concentrate on bringing about an improvement in postal services here at home?

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I do not think the noble Lord can suggest; he may ask, and I understand that is what he is doing. That also I will convey to the right quarter.