HC Deb 24 November 1948 vol 458 cc117-8W
Mr. Nally

asked the Postmaster-General what is the present estimated weekly total of postal packages received by his Department from football pool organisations; the estimated weekly total of packages posted by the public to such organisations; and how such totals compare with the corresponding figures of 1938, 1945, 1946 and 1947.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

Based on October traffic in each case, the estimated weekly postings are as follows:

Posted by the organisations Posted by the public
1948 9½million 7½million
1938 13¼ million 5½million
1945 2 million 1½million
1946 7½million 5¾ million
1947 8¾ million 6½million

Mr. Nally

asked the Postmaster-General the average number of football pool packages received each week by his Department at post offices in Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Stockport, Swansea, Blackpool, Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Worcestershire, and Middleton, Lancashire, respectively, together with the figures of deliveries to football pool firms in each of these areas.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

The estimated weekly average number of football pool postal packages posted by and delivered to football pool firms at the towns named is as follows:

Liverpool:
posted 6,568,300
delivered 5,474,800
Glasgow:
posted 162,900
delivered 109,300
Cardiff:
posted 1,280,700
delivered 691,700
London:
posted 680,700
delivered 405,766
Birmingham:
posted 2,800
delivered 2,800
Manchester:
posted Postings too small to be separately recorded.
delivered
Stockport:
posted Postings too small to be separately recorded.
delivered
Swansea:
posted 6,200
delivered 2,800
Blackpool:
posted 55,800
delivered 36,500
Nottingham:
posted 7,400
delivered 6,800
Wolverhampton:
posted Postings too small to be separately recorded.
delivered
Dudley:
posted Postings too small to be separately recorded.
delivered
Middleton, Lancashire:
posted 2,000
delivered 2,000

Mr. Nally

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated weekly profit made by his Department from the handling of postal packages to and from football pool organisations; and the estimated profit accruing from postal order and money order purchases made by the public to meet football pool obligations.

Mr. Wilfred Paling

Precise figures are not available, but it is estimated that the profit on postal packages is of the order of£50,000 weekly, and the profit on postal orders and money orders of the order of£5,000 weekly.