HL Deb 06 March 1969 vol 300 cc274-6

3.13 p.m.

LORD FERRIER

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 the Postmaster General will issue a postcard embossed with a 5d. stamp and superscribed "first-class mail" for sale at post offices either singly at 5d. each or in packets of, say, a dozen at 5s., so that the hitherto useful and economical service rendered through the humble postcard may be in some measure retained despite the swingeing increase in the bare postage payable upon it.]

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, postcards embossed with a 5d. stamp would have to be sold for 6d. each in order to cover their production costs. My right honourable friend the Postmaster General would be prepared to arrange this if there was sufficient demand. Letter cards costing 6d. each are already on sale for use in the first-class service.

LORD FERRIER

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, may I ask whether it is not a fact that a 20 per cent. margin, which is 1s per dozen postcards, seems a very high price for the intrinsic value of the cards? In view of the fact that the postage on postcards has increased by 100 per cent. in less than four years, would the noble Lord's right honourable friend look at the matter again, to the end that perhaps he might make available for sale packets of postcards with 5d. stamps, say at 10 or 11 for 5s.?

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, as regards the alleged increase of postcard charges by 100 per cent., that is so only when the rate goes from 2½d. to 5d.; the normal rate of course would be 4d. It is only when the person sending the postcard wishes it to go under first-class mail that it needs a 5d. stamp. As regards the second question, my right honourable friend has said that if he had evidence of sufficient demand for postcards embossed with 5d. stamps he could probably agree to sell packets of 10 at a small discount, probably at 4s. 8d., saving the customer 4d. Ten postcards embossed with 4d. stamps can at present be bought for 3s. 10d. representing the same amount of saving, and they can of course be used in the first-class service if another Id. stamp is attached.

LORD FERRIER

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that since I put this Question down I have received a number of indications that perhaps there is a demand in this direction? Would he ask his right honourable friend to look into this matter again?

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, yes; with pleasure.

LORD AIREDALE

My Lords, may I ask this question? When the 5d. post was introduced, surely one concession was that you could send a package weighing a quarter of a pound for 5d. by first-class mail. Since a postcard weighs only one-eighth of an ounce, surely the increase from 3d. to 4d. on a postcard ought to be sufficient to give the postcard first-class treatment?

LORD BOWLES

My Lords, my right honourable friend is not going to depart from the decision he has taken. It is up to the sender to decide which service he wants, the first-class or the second-class. If he wants the first-class service he pays 5d., and if he wants the second-class service he pays 4d. It is really as simple as that. I cannot understand why these Questions are continuously asked in this House. I wonder whether it is not perhaps some reflection of either a plan to attack the Government's decision, or perhaps ignorance on the part of noble Lords who ask the Questions.