HC Deb 18 June 1942 vol 380 c1697W
Mr. David Adams

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, although all inhabitants, native or British, of all territories under the control of the Government of the United Kingdom have the right to address petitions to Members of both Houses of Parliament, the people of Palestine have been advised that the covers of such petitions must bear the appropriate postage; and whether, as there is no representative government in Jerusalem, he will consider the desirability of extending the special postage facilities already accorded to petitions to Government Departments to such correspondence from this territory and will cause this information to be circulated in the "Official Gazette" published by the High Commissioner's administration?

Mr. Harold Macmillan

If a petition to Parliament in proper form were transmitted through the official channel of the High Commissioner and the Secretary of State, there would be no postage charge for its conveyance to this country. My Noble Friend sees no sufficient cause, however, to recommend to the Government of Palestine that petitions transmitted direct to an hon. Member should be exempted from the ordinary postal regulations of the territory.