§ 51. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the extent to which 5d. stamps and 4d. stamps on ordinary letters were used during the Christmas and Hogmanay periods, respectively; and if he will now abolish the 5d. stamp and revert to the 4d. stamp for all ordinary letters.
§ Mr. StonehouseAbout 22 per cent. of the postings during the period 13th December to 2nd January were prepaid 5d. It would not be feasible either financially or operationally to reduce the 5d. rate to 4d.
§ 52. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Postmaster-General if, with a view to abandoning the two-tier postal system, he will, if necessary, increase his staff and introduce tabulators or computers or other modern scientific instruments to enable earlier standards of delivery to be maintained.
§ Mr. StonehouseI see no reason for abandoning the two-tier system, which is operating efficiently and has achieved its purpose of offering customers a choice of price and speed.