§ Mr. Dribergasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that philatelists and others who, in response to his special offer of first-day covers bearing sets of Shakespeare quatercentenary stamps, ordered such covers more than a week before 23rd April, had still not received them on 28th April; how many of these covers were ordered; what steps were taken, by transferring extra staff or otherwise, to cope with a substantial volume of orders; why the form of application did not bear the closing date for applications contained in the separate form listing conditions for the service; how many covers still await dispatch; whether these will be postmarked 23rd April; and on what date or dates this postmark will actually have been stamped on the covers.
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§ Mr. MawbyI am aware that some of these covers have not yet been delivered and I regret the delay. The demand for our comprehensive first-day cover service, that is where we provide the envelope, type the address, stick on the stamps, and put the enevelope in the post, exceeded all expectations. Close on 80,000 covers were ordered. Many orders, including some from overseas, came to hand after the closing date. Apart from overtime nearly 50 extra staff have been drafted into the Bureau. Over half the covers have already been dispatched: the remainder are in various stages of preparation and we aim to get them out this week. All covers will bear the postmark 23rd April although it might have been impressed on any day from 23rd April onwards.
The closing date for applications was one of a number of conditions attached to the service which we felt our customers would find it more convenient to have on a separate form which they could retain.