HL Deb 07 November 1968 vol 297 cc355-7

3.15 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 whether they will give an assurance that the Post Office will endeavour to handle letters bearing a 4d. stamp and posted before 12 noon, hence avoiding the evening peak load of work in sorting offices, so that they can be delivered first post on the following day.]

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Postmaster General aims to give first-class letters priority at all stages. Second-class letters are scheduled for a slower service designed to keep down costs and to safeguard the quality of the first-class service. But matters will be kept under review to see what improvements can be made without delaying the handling of first-class letters at any stage of their journey and jeopardising the quality of the first-class service. Many local letters posted before noon are already delivered by first post next day.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he appreciates that that reply does not really make the position very much clearer? Since up to a short time ago the Post Office delivered 90 per cent. or more of all letters by the next day, can the noble Lord say what they are now doing with these letters?

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, the noble Lord has no doubt followed the Questions in another place and has heard some Questions and Answers here. The position is that this double-tier system was specially designed so that those people who wanted their mail to get urgent first-class treatment would get it, and so that nothing would stand in the way. The idea is to remedy what was becoming an impossible situation, in which 35 million letters every day had to be handled, mostly in the rush hours.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he really understood my Question and the purpose which lay behind it? It was to endeavour to help the Post Office by ensuring that mails were posted more evenly throughout the day, so avoiding what I believe is the peak difficulty, which is the bulk of letters which have to be sorted in the evening. Is it not possible for those who try to help the Post Office by posting early to get the service which I suggested in my Question?

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, if the noble Lord, who I think lives in Penrith, posted a letter from there to Manchester before noon it would get into the peak stream at Manchester round about four or five o'clock. Therefore, he must surely be able to see now that his suggestion is not as good as he thinks. But from next week the majority of letters posted in the London area will be delivered the next day, even if they are second-class.