HC Deb 21 March 1950 vol 472 cc106-7W
78. Sir W. Wakefield

asked the Minister of National Insurance why her Department charges an annual fee to users of stamp-impressing machines, as a deposit has to be made with her Department in advance of a sum equal to the estimated contributions for a given period, and since these machines are paid for by the user and their use relieves the work of selling insurance stamps in post offices.

Dr. Summerskill

Fees are charged to cover the additional cost of the administrative arrangements required for impressed stamping as compared with adhesive stamping. Allowance was made for the saving in the sales of stamps at Post Offices in determining the present scale of fees, which is considerably lower than that previously in operation.