§ 80. Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the quality of the postal services.
§ Mr. ForthIn the last year we have received some 150 representations from right hon. and hon. Members and others about the quality of the postal service, mainly the first-class service. Quality of the postal service is an operational matter for the Post Office: it has set itself a target of an average 3 per cent. improvement this year.
§ 103. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average volume of mail sent by first-class post on a working day during the past year; how many letters, in number and percentage, arrived within the target time; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThe Post Office tells me that the current average number of first-class letters sent each day is 25 million. Statistics on the proportion of letters delivered within the target time are now kept on a district rather than national basis, but I understand that between three quarters and four fifths of first-class letters are delivered on the working day after posting.