HL Deb 20 May 1976 vol 370 cc1467-9
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper. May I just apologise, because I got the information from the Post Office after I put down the Question which, of course, was the object of the exercise.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when she is to receive the information promised from the Post Office on the use of a Soviet ship in carrying mail, and the details originally requested in her Question on 10th May 1976.

Lord MELCHETT

My Lords, this is a matter for the Post Office. who tell me that they wrote to the noble Baroness, Lady Ward of North Tyneside, on 17th May.

Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, could I then ask whether the very long letter, which does not really answer all the questions I asked, could be published in Hansard, so that the rest of the world may know what really happened about that Soviet ship carrying British mail? Could I please have the whole of the letter published in Hansard?

Lord MELCHETT

My Lords, may I first say how delighted I am to learn from the noble Baroness, Lady Ward of North Tyneside, that the letter arrived. Secondly, may I say that if the noble Baroness would care to put down a Question for Written Answer on this matter, I am sure the necessary arrangements can be made.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, is there any reciprocity in this matter? Can my noble friend the Minister say whether British ships occasionally carry Soviet mail and, if not, why not?

Lord MELCHETT

My Lords, I think that is another question. If my noble friend Lord Shinwell would care to put down a Question, I will endeavour to find out the information.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, why does my noble friend say it is another question? It is related to the subject, is it not? Or is he simply running away from it?

Lord MELCHETT

No, my Lords, I am not running away from it. The Question on the Order Paper deals with the receipt by the noble Baroness opposite of a letter about Soviet ships carrying British mail. My noble friend wants to ask me a question about British ships carrying Soviet mail, and I think that is a different question.

Lord LEATHERLAND

My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that this reciprocity does exist? Further, is he aware that in the days when I used to work for my living, I frequently received letters from the Soviet Embassy, and they were carried by a British postman?

Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord, very politely, whether he is aware that the Question so rightly asked by the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, was one of the questions asked by me in the original Question? I still have not received the answer, any more than the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, has got the answer, and I would like the answer.

Lord MELCHETT

My Lords, may I say to the noble Baroness, Lady Ward of North Tyneside, very politely, that I have her original Question in front of me and it does not appear to me that that Question raised the issue which my noble friend has now raised.