§ 2.51 p.m.
§ Lord BOSTON of FAVERSHAMMy 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 make a Statement about the current review of Post Office services.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, your Lordships will recall that when the Post Office announced the suspension from 2nd May 1976 of letter collections on Sundays, it promised to review the change after a year. That remains the present situation.
§ Lord BOSTON of FAVERSHAMMy Lords, while the absence of collections on Sundays has come as a welcome relief to some people—perhaps, not least, to some people in my own profession, the legal profession, because it provides a splendid excuse for not dealing with urgent week-end work in time for the Sunday mail—this is, nevertheless, a matter of very considerable concern and indeed inconvenience, to members of the public, because it is, after all, the members of the public who suffer when a service of this kind is suspended. While thanking my noble friend for his reply, may I ask him whether it should not be impressed upon the Post Office Corporation that there is this concern, there is this inconvenience, and it is very important indeed to ensure that the public are made aware of, hopefully, a favourable change as swiftly as possible? Also, could the Post Office Corporation be asked, with any influence that my noble friend has upon them, to reintroduce this service as speedily as possible?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I will see that my right honourable friend is informed of the point of view of my noble friend. May I say that I welcome the fact that there are no Sunday collections because it means that I have to write no letters on Sunday but, as I say, I will see that my right honourable friend is informed of that point of view.
§ Lord DRUMALBYNMy Lords, is the question of Sunday collections the only matter that is the subject of the current review of the Post Office services?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMNo, my Lords, The full issues under concern are the cessation of Sunday collections, the withdrawal of second deliveries in rural areas, the withdrawal of late evening collections, and the closure of Post Office counters on Saturday afternoon. Perhaps the most important of these issues is Sunday collections, which make up £8 million of the £15 million savings achieved by these four measures.