§ 2.45 p.m.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the special issue of stamps to mark the Queen's 60th birthday on 21st April will include stamps at 12p and if not whether they will recommend to the chairman of the Post Office that such inclusion be given consideration.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Lucas of Chilworth)My Lords, special stamp issues are a matter for the Post Office and I understand that the chairman of the board has recently corresponded with the noble Baroness about this matter.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, yes, I have had a long, courteous, detailed and entirely negative letter from the chairman of the Post Office. As the Minister has not answered the Question on the Order Paper, which asks whether Her Majesty's Government would take certain action, perhaps I may ask the Minister this question. As we have a Christmas issue of second class stamps, because so many people want a special stamp, does he not think that many people would equally like a special stamp for the Queen's 60th birthday anniversary? Does he feel that the attention of the chairman of the Post Office could be drawn to that?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, most certainly the attention of the chairman of the Post Office Board will be drawn to the noble Baroness's question. For some years it has been the practice of the Post Office Board to produce only four stamps as a special issue. They range across the main price usages: 17p for the inland first class stamp, 22p for the European stamp, a 31p airmail stamp for Zone B (the Americas, India and South East Asia), and a 34p airmail stamp for Zone C (Australia, Japan and China). The Christmas edition has always been a particular one because the volume of second class mail increases quite significantly at that time,
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, does the Minister agree that we cannot always dwell in the past on this matter any more than on the first Question that was asked this afternoon? Does he not think that some attention should be given to people who use second class stamps instead of always giving it only for those who use first class stamps?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, in particular, there are design implications for the special issue celebrating Her Majesty's birthday in that the stamp is based on six photographs of Her Majesty—one from each decade of her life. It is an essential part of the design that the stamps are produced in attached se tenant pairs. That design would be upset were there to be an additional stamp. The usage of first class and second class mail is currently about the same so that there will be relatively no disadvantage.