LORD INGLEWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they reconcile the Postmaster General's statement that "there will be no restrictive practices concerning 4d. mail in the two tier system" with an instruction drafted by a senior official, Mr. Harry Ives, and circulated to postmen in the Newcastle on Tyne area that 4d. local mail must not be delivered by first post next day.
§ LORD BOWLESThe instruction in question was drafted in the early days of the new letter service to avoid any risk of first-class mail being delayed on the first post.
Second-class local mail is included in the first delivery next day where this can be done without prolonging it or causing other extra expense.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether reports in the Press are correct that Post Office officials have informed customers in several areas that they have received official instructions deliberately to delay, for 24 hours, mails carrying a 4d. stamp even when the immediate forwarding of such correspondence would in no way interfere with next day delivery of mail bearing a 5d. stamp; and if so how they consider they can justify such a retrograde step.
§ LORD BOWLESThere is no such official instruction, and it seems that statements by Post Office officials abut the treatment of second-class letters may have been misunderstood. The main aim is to safeguard the service for first-class mails; second-class mails are despatched 1467WA separately and later. Nevertheless, many second-class letters are delivered on the day after posting and the arrangements are under constant review to see that there is no unnecessary delay.