§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Defence what use his Department makes of the private sector for the movement of parcels, packages, documents and letters; and if he will estimate the proportion of his Department's mail handled in this way.
§ Mr. LeeFor packets and letters originating in MOD HQ in London, 90 per cent. is handled by the MOD transit service or handed over to the Royal Engineers (Postal and Courier Service) or other official Government channels.
The bulk of the remainder is dealt with through the Post Office, with some small quantities being handled by British Rail or the National Carrier service.
Official mail, both surface and air, originated by the MOD and addressed to a BFPO indicator is dealt with by the Royal Engineers (Postal and Courier Service). This mail is included with despatches containing private correspondence and is sent as follows:
(a) Airmail
- Usually in commercial airlines.
(b) Surface
- In containers contracted by the Government freight agency, by British Rail and in Post Office containers, depending on the destination.
(c) Within United Kingdom
- Most official mail is sent through the Post Office. Exceptionally, it is carried on existing classified courier schedules to "fill up" and on a "no extra" cost basis.
The strict rules governing the despatch of classified mail, of which there is a large volume in MOD, is a constraint on the use of the private sector.
Commercial carriers are included in the Department's distribution system for stores and spare parts, embracing what could be termed parcels and packages.