HC Deb 19 February 1964 vol 689 cc197-8W
23. Mr. Darling

asked the Postmaster-General whether his delivery service for unaddressed circulars at reduced postage rates will be available for political literature at Parliamentary and local government elections.

Mr. Bevins

In my statement to the House on the 29th January I said that the service would be suspended during Parliamentary elections. It will continue to be available during local elections.

46. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Postmaster-General how many items of unstamped advertising matter are now received weekly for distribution; in how many instances postmen have refused to deliver them; and how many of these items have been returned to the sender.

Mr. Mawby

We cannot yet quote a representative weekly figure but up to the end of last week just under 1½ million household delivery items had been handed in. Some postmen at a few offices initially refused to deliver the items but with the exception of one man who reported sick and is still away, they agreed to do so later: no items had to be returned to senders on this account.

50. Mr. A. Lewis

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he will take to prevent persons, who object to having unaddressed circulars sent to their home addresses and offices, from writing the address of the sender of such circulars on the envelopes and returning these to the postbox, unstamped, to be delivered back to the original sender, so that the last recipient pays the postage sum due together with the surcharge.

Mr. Mawby

We have no special steps in mind: we do not expect this to become a widespread practice.

54. Mr. Barnett

asked the Postmaster-General what instructions have been given to officers of the Post Office regarding the action to be taken in cases where an unstamped circular delivered under the household delivery scheme is reposted marked "Return to sender".

Mr. Mawby

The instructions provide for such a circular to be put with surplus household delivery items that remain after the delivery is completed and be dealt with generally in the same way as them.