§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the effect of the proposals to abolish the Sunday postal services in Scotland and the industrial districts of the North of England; that the suspension of travelling post offices on either Saturday night or Sunday will be to cut off these areas from London and the South of England for a period of from 24 to 30 hours; that the hours of duty of postal workers are already harassing and unhygienic and will be made still more irksome and more unhealthy; and that the work, instead of being performed on Sunday, will be done in the early hours of Monday morning from midnight onwards, involving a great increase in night duty, which will lead to more sickness and expense and lowered efficiency; and if he will take action in the matter?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe abolition of Sunday postal labour has the effect suggested by the hon. Member, as far as communication by post is concerned; but there has always been a gap of from 24 to 30 hours in postal communication at the week-end in London and other places where there was no Sunday delivery. As regards the effect of the changes on the attendance of the staff, I may say that I have arranged for discussions to take place at an early date with the Union of Post Office Workers.