§ Mr. Muffasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there have been delays of four months in the delivery of home mail to members of the Merchant Navy in the Central Mediterranean; and whether he will expedite postal facilities?
§ Captain CrookshankThere has unfortunately been delay in the delivery of some of the mails sent to members of the Merchant Navy in the Central Mediterranean. It will be appreciated that during periods of intense operational activity such as have been and are still taking place in the area concerned the move- 1537W ments of ships are frequent and at very short notice. Under such conditions it is most difficult to arrange for mails to reach the vessels. Owing to the volume of mail traffic and the uncertainty of the movements of ships congestion occurred at the mail distributing centres. These centres are not under my control but I understand that active steps have been taken to improve the situation and to reduce to a minimum the risk of delay in future.