§ Sir W. DAVISONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty the King's head on British stamps, to the value of about£250,000, has been defaced by being printed over by the Irish Provisional Government; whether this action has been approved by His Majesty's Government; and what, if any, payment has been made by the Provisional Government in respect of the stamps so defaced?
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§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe British postage stamps supplied to the Post Office in Southern Ireland have been overprinted pending the issue of stamps of a new design when that administration takes over the control of its own Post Office under the terms of the Treaty. It is the usual practice, in a period of transition, to overprint postage stamps; and the present arrangement has been agreed to by His Majesty's Government. The revenue resulting from the sale of overprinted stamps is being brought to credit in the accounts of the Post Office in the normal way.