§ 86. Mr. Nabarroasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that two letters from Ivor R. Downes, Esq., serving on Christmas Island, sent via British Forces Post Office 170 to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Downes, The Dingle Cottage, Highwood. Eastham, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, and delivered, respectively, on Thursday, 16th May, 1957, and Friday, 24th May, 1957, the first in an airmail envelope and the second in an envelope marked "Forces Airmail" and surcharged with the words "First British Megaton Trial 1957" had postage stamps removed; what inquiries he has made into their disappearance, and with what result; what recompense he now proposes to offer to the recipients of the letters; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MarplesYes. A special inquiry has been made. It is not possible to establish how the stamps actually come to be missing, but it may be that they simply failed to adhere to the envelopes. I regret the loss of the stamps, but I am sorry that I cannot pay compensation in circumstances of this kind.