HL Deb 01 April 1947 vol 146 cc1001-2WA
EARL FORTESCUE

asked His Majesty's Government what effect, if any, the Civil Service cuts in manpower are likely to have on the postal services.

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)

In common with other Government Departments the Post Office has been asked to release part of its staff for employment on production. In view of its position as a commercial undertaking, manpower in the Post Office must be aligned with the services it renders to the public, and any considerable saving in Post Office staff can therefore only be made by reducing those services. After careful consideration it has been decided to modify postal services as follows:

  1. (i) the 7 p.m. delivery and the 7.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. collections in London, which were suspended during the recent fuel crisis, will not be restored. In future there will be three deliveries in London with a final delivery commencing at about 3–3.30 p.m. and a final collection at 6–6.30 p.m.
  2. (ii) in towns outside London having three deliveries the number of deliveries will be reduced to two and the 8.0–8.30 p.m. collection will be withdrawn. The final collection will be made at about 5.30–6.30 p.m.
  3. (iii) the finishing time of the first delivery will be slightly extended.

In introducing these changes, I propose to aim at making the second delivery in the provinces before midday. I hope that this will increase output, and improve the hours of attendance for postmen. By reducing the period between attendances, the work will be made more attractive to new recruits.

In fixing the actual time of the second delivery, regard will, of course, be paid to the incidence and availability of correspondence for delivery.

House adjourned at twelve minutes past five o'clock.