§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been put in place by his Department to cope with the increased demand on postal services for troops serving in the Gulf this Christmas; and if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the current arrangements for the sending of parcels to troops serving in the Gulf over the Christmas period. [143819]
§ Mr. IngramA full airmail service for letters and packets up to 2 kg is in place, and no charge is made for these items addressed to named personnel in the Gulf. In anticipation of increased volumes of mail for personnel in the Gulf over the Christmas period, arrangements have been made for appropriate space to be allocated on RAF flights to the region. The current arrangements are very effective, and a high quality of service is being achieved.