§ Mr. M. Clark Hutchisonasked the Postmaster-General why it is that air mail letters of up to ½ ounce from Aden to the United Kingdom cost 1s. and 25 cents while similar letters from the United Kingdom to Aden cost only 9d.; and, in view of the fact that this bears hardly on the people of Aden, if he will take early steps to effect a reduction of the charge from Aden.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have been asked to reply.
The Governments of the United Kingdom and of the Colonial Territories are by their international obligations under a duty not to make any overall profit from surcharged air mail. Postal charges 80W are therefore closely related to total air mail conveyance and handling costs.
Air mail rates from the United Kingdom are calculated on a zonal basis and Aden has the good fortune to be situated near the limit of the 9d. zone.
The inward rates from Aden are fixed by the Aden Government at a level which covers the costs and any lower rate would be uneconomic.