HC Deb 05 February 1952 vol 495 c103W
64. Mr. Osborne

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will put a stop to the growing practice by certain sections of the Civil Service of stamping their letters with a rubber-stamp signature, since the practice is open to abuse and is discourteous to the public.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The general practice is for all ordinary typed letters to members of the public to be signed. Rubber stamp signatures are used for letters of a formal character, generally where large numbers are involved, and for purely routine communications. I do not consider that this practice, which is in the interests of staff economy, implies any discourtesy to the public.