§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy 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 instructions have been given regarding the disposal of letters from Rhodesia bearing a Rhodesian stamp in cases where the addressee will not pay the surcharge demanded.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDNone, my Lords. This is a matter for the Post Office, but I understand that normal regulations already cover the point. These regulations provide that such letters should be treated as undeliverable and returned to the country of origin.
§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble Lord for that Answer.
§ LORD HANKEYMy Lords, arising out of that Answer, may I ask whether it is really the intention of Her Majesty's Government to hamper postal communication between this country and Rhodesia?
§ LORD SHEPHERDNo, my Lords. The reason why this action is taken is that these stamps are invalid, because they have been issued by an illegal regime which has no authority to issue them.
§ LORD STRATHCLYDEMy Lords, could the noble Lord say how a letter 1496 coming from Rhodesia should be stamped, if it is to be delivered in this country?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, there are stamps which we have accepted in the past as lawful. If any of those stamps were put on envelopes, they would be treated as they have been treated in the past. The action we have taken is on the stamps illegally issued by an illegal régime.
§ LORD STRATHCLYDEMy Lords, would the noble Lord say where the acceptable stamps can be acquired?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, they have been available in Rhodesia and I have no reason to believe that they are not still available, if the right authorities propose to issue them.
§ LORD HANKEYMy Lords, would the noble Lord advise the House how we are to communicate with people in Rhodesia who do not agree with the Smith régime?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, there is nothing to hamper the noble Lord from communicating with his friends in Rhodesia. We recognise the inconvenience, perhaps hardship, that exists in Rhodesia, but we are not to blame. It is those in Rhodesia who are to blame.
§ LORD SOMERSMy Lords, is it not true that a letter posted with no stamp at all is delivered, in spite of the fact that the recipient has to pay twice the postage?
§ LORD SHEPHERDThat is right, my Lords. We have also made it perfectly clear that if a letter is received in this country with illegal Rhodesian stamps and the person to whom the letter had been sent is prepared to pay the cost of the lawful charge for a stamp, the letter will be delivered.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, would the noble Lord say whether the mere fact that a letter bears a Rhodesian stamp on it will prevent its being delivered here, even though it is lawfully stamped with the stamp of some other country?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, if it has the stamp of another country, then I should expect that it would be 1497 delivered. Perhaps I may amend an answer that I gave earlier by saying that the letter would be delivered, but there would be double the postage rate charge on delivery.
§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, is there not a case in this particular instance for not imposing the double rate for the surcharge? Having regard to the special difficulties of people in Rhodesia who are trying to correspond with people in this country, is there not a case for saying that the double surcharge should not be demanded, but only the single surcharge of the amount for the original postage?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, as I understand it, the regulations for dealing with this matter are clearly defined in the Universal Postal Union, and it is here that the Post Office are complying with the law.
§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy Lords, may we take it that these letters will continue to be delivered, like any other letters which bear the correct postage?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the letter will be presented to the person to whom it is sent, and if it has an illegal stamp on it the person will be asked to pay the double charge. If he does not pay the double charge and refuses to accept the letter, it will be returned to the country of origin.