HC Deb 25 June 1947 vol 439 cc56-7W
68. Mr. Wilson Harris

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated annual saving resulting from the recent reduction of postal services in London and elsewhere.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

A reduction in postal staff of not less than 3,500 persons is expected.

69. Mr. Osborne

asked the Postmaster-General if he has considered the demand for a five-day working week from the postal workers' union; if he intends to grant it, since it was granted to the engineers' department a few weeks ago; if its granting would necessitate a five day postal delivery or if more labour, and how much would have to be recruited to maintain existing facilities.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

My predecessor had some discussion with staff representatives on this matter, but I have not yet had an opportunity to discuss it with them. I propose to do so in the near future and, in view of the complexity of the subject, I should prefer not to make any statement at present.

70. Mr. Digby

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that letters and parcels frequently take two days to get from Bridport to Weymouth, a distance of approximately 20 miles; and what steps he is taking to improve deliveries in this area.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

Letters posted at the Bridport head post office before 7.30 p.m. and parcels posted up to 6.30 p.m. and addressed to Weymouth are due to be delivered by first post the following weekday If the hon. Member will let me have details of any letters or parcels which appear to have suffered delay I shall be pleased to investigate.

79. Lady Grant

asked the Postmaster-General, if he will make special facilities available in the post office in Aberdeen for dealing with pathological samples, in view of the extreme urgency in the case of acute diseases such as diphtheria, etc., and the greatly depleted postal services now in operation.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

I am looking into this matter and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

85. Sir J. Mellor

asked the Postmaster-General by what average time the first delivery of letters in Sutton Coldfield was completed during May of 1945, 1946 and 1947, respectively; by what time delivery was due to be completed in each period; and why there has been so wide a variation in times of delivery in certain streets from day to day.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

The information required by the hon. Member is as follows:

Month Average time of completion of first letter delivery. Scheduled time of completion of first letter delivery.
May, 1945 9.15 a.m. 9.0 a.m.
May, 1946 9.0 a.m. 8.45 a.m.
May, 1947 8.50 a.m. 8.45 a.m.

I regret that the rearrangements of the postmen's delivery rounds introduced since the end of May have led to variations in the times of delivery. The postmen should, however, shortly become accustomed to their new rounds and I hope the delivery time will quickly be stabilised.

87. Dr. Segal

asked the Postmaster-General when it will be possible to resume the late night postal collections at the Leicester Square and Fleet Street post offices.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

In view of the urgent need to save manpower and to release Post Office staff for employment on production, it is not proposed to restore late night postal collections at the post offices in question.