HL Deb 14 June 1972 vol 331 cc977-9

2.40 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 proportion of 2nd class mail posted in London before 12 noon on any day is likely to be delivered to a London address on the following day; and what proportion of 2nd class mail posted on a Friday anywhere in England is likely to be delivered to an address in England on (a) the following day; (b) the following Monday; (c) the following Tuesday; or to take more than four days.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, these are matters for the Post Office, but I understand that samples of mail taken by the Post Office produce national figures on a monthly basis. It is not possible to extract from these figures results for individual days or places. Second-class letters posted on Friday are not due for delivery before Monday. In April over 91 per cent. of second-class letters were delivered by the second working day after posting despite the disruption of rail services.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, even if the Minister says that the Government does not know about some of the contents of this Question can he at least give an assurance that they care; it is important; and further, with regard to the first part of the Question can he give us an assurance that where it is possible for second-class mail to be delivered the following day, no artificial means are taken to hold it up in order to maintain the 24-hour differential.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I can give my noble friend both those assurances.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, is the Minister aware that, as was confirmed by the Minister for Posts and Telecommunications in another place only last week, there has always been a two-tier system in the postal service in this country? The only difference is that we now have, on second class mail, sealed envelopes instead of the open envelope system that was in existence before the two-tier system was introduced. There is no hope at the moment, as I see and recognise from experience, of being able to produce as it were a perfect system with both mechanical sorting and individual sorting as it exists at the moment. Noble Lords will agree I think that the people engaged—

THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)

My Lords, would the noble Lord mind phrasing his speech in the form of a question?

LORD SLATER

My Lords, my Parliamentary experience seems to have left me. Is the Minister aware that the people who are engaged in the service and dealing with the first and second class mail in the Post Office are doing their best to make it into a better service than it has been in the past?

LORD DENHAM

Yes, my Lords.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, did I understand the Minister to say at the outset that these were matters for the Post Office? Why then does he answer the question?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the question I was being asked was what my right honourable friend said in another place, and that is not a matter for the Post Office; it is a matter for myself.

LORD LEATHERLAND

My Lords, is the Minister aware that 60 years ago, before we had all these new-fangled mechanical features one could post a letter in London and have it delivered in Birmingham next morning?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, 60 years ago the Postmaster-General was responsible in another place.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, is the noble Lord, the Minister, aware that the Post Office Users' National Council a few months ago recommended that a comprehensive consumer and market study of the postal services should be undertaken? Has he any news of this?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I think that is going a little wide of the question on the Order Paper.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, if, as the Minister says, these are matters for himself, what is he going to do about it?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the question asked by my noble friend covered matters which are the responsibility of the Post Office. The question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Slater, covered what my right honourable friend had said in another place; and about that I can quite properly be questioned.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he will confirm that it is his responsibility and say that at least we shall not have ever-increasing postal charges and ever-slower services?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, my right honourable friend is naturally watching anything like that very carefully.