The Postal Code (Hansard, 19 February 1991)

§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Hesketh)
My Lords, this is an operational matter for the Post Office. However, I understand that the post-coding of every address in 412 the United Kingdom was completed in 1974. I understand that the level of post-code usage for mail posted in the United Kingdom has now risen to 79.9 per cent.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that report on progress. However, is he aware that the use of the postal code is a great labour saver in the laborious business of postal sorting and that therefore the gap between 79 per cent. and 100 per cent. usage needs to be closed as soon as possible? Does he agree that it could be closed by including the postal code in all telephone books? Can my noble friend say why the Post Office did not arrange for the new telephone books which we have all just received to include postal codes?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I was under the impression that the telephone books carried postal codes. If my noble friend is correct I shall certainly inquire into the matter and communicate with him immediately. Under the 1969 Act the Post Office has a statutory duty to accept all reasonable demands for a letter service in the United Kingdom, which does not include the postal code. In the United Kingdom it is possible to obtain postal codes from Crown Post Offices and public libraries. However, that is not a facility that is available for foreign mall coming into the United Kingdom and the Post Office will have to retain the ability to accept non-post-coded mail for that part of its business.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that, although his answer provides an explanation, it gives no comfort to postal users —which is all of us—who have to pay more and more every year for stamps?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I fully appreciate the concern of my noble friend, particularly as the postal code—unlike postal codes in many other countries which direct mail only to a post office—is designed to achieve a division of mail by automatic sorting into the area of a postman's round. He is thus correct to say that we should have the most efficient postal delivery system in the world.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, in view of the cost advantages which accrue to the Post Office when the postal code is used in terms of speed of handling, is the noble Lord prepared to consider a lower price for postage stamps for all those in the United Kingdom who use the postal code?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I am afraid that I am not in the position of power which the noble Lord, Lord Bruce, suggests. However, I shall certainly bring his suggestion to the attention of the chairman of the Post Office.

§ Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the millions of people who address their envelopes by hand and laboriously add the postal code do so only to have it rejected by the sorting machines, which do not accept handwritten postal codes? Can he say when that anomaly is likely to be corrected?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I am filled with trepidation at taking issue with my noble friend, but I believe that the sorting machines accept handwritten postal codes.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, can the noble Lord give the House an idea of the average delay in delivery of first-class letters which are not post-coded compared with those which are post-coded?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, the figures which I have do not distinguish between post-coded and non-post-coded mail. However, I am sure that your Lordships will be encouraged to know that the most recent figures show that there has been an overall improvement of 3.6 per cent. in the effectiveness of the delivery of first-class mail.

§ Lord Jenkins of Hillhead
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the noble Baroness, Lady Oppenheim-Barnes, has sown great confusion in my mind? Is it not worthwhile putting the post code on an envelope if one is writing the address by hand?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I am under the impression that the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, is correct in thinking that all of your Lordships will benefit in terms of both speed of delivery and receipt of documents if they place the postal code upon their missives.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, is it not a question of the clarity of the noble Lords' handwriting?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I wrote my own postal code on the top of my brief. I can read it and I hope very much that a machine could also read it.

§ Lady Saltoun of Abernethy
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that I once addressed a letter to a Member of your Lordships' House by hand, writing on the envelope only his name and the postal code, and the letter arrived first thing the following morning?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I think that it would be fair to describe that as a ringing endorsement of the code.

The Earl of Selkirk
My Lords, can the Minister confirm that the Post Office intends to continue putting on its stamps a number rather than a price? At the moment it is very confusing when posting letters abroad or sending parcels. Does he agree that it would be much simpler if the price were known?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I feel that this question is slightly wide of the Question which stands on the Order Paper.