§ Mr. SITCHasked the Postmaster-General whether he is taking steps, without delay, to reinstate the various postal deliveries and other services convenient to the public which have been suspended during the War; whether he has yet obtained the demobilisation of all the postal officials who have been serving with the Colours; if not, whether he will now get this done, apart from the necessary Army postal service; and whether he will immediately increase the postal and telegraph staff so as to bring the services not only up to the level prevailing before the War, but in such a way as to make up at once the arrears of progress involved in the suspension of the past four years, seeing that such an expansion would at the same time increase the postal revenue and help to diminish unemployment?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHArrangements are in hand for restoring some of the suspended collections and deliveries of letters, and effecting such other improvements as are possible in the service which have been curtailed as a result of the War, as soon as a sufficient number of the local staff are released. A considerable number of Post Office servants have been registered as pivotal men, and are due for early demobilisation. Those of the remainder who are not liable for retention in the Army of Occupation will be demobilised under the same conditions as other men for whom posts are being kept open in industry. A number have already been released from the Army.
§ Mr. PERKINSasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the dissatisfaction with the present curtailed postal services in country districts, he is yet in a position to announce the resumption of pre-war mail collections and deliveries?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHOnly a relatively small number of the postal servants who joined the Navy and Army have so far resumed duty after demobilisation, and the restoration of facilities must depend1436W upon the return of an adequate staff and to some extent upon the improvement of railway and transport services. Arrangements are now being made to increase collections and deliveries, and to effect such other improvements in the service as are possible in each area, as soon as a sufficient number of the local staff are released.