HC Deb 23 February 1976 vol 906 c3W
Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will so frame the rules governing the use of House of Commons franked envelopes by hon. Members as specifically to exclude the sending of birthday greetings to constituents in them.

Mr. Edward Short

The House is responsible for its own rules of conduct. The Services Committee can only give guidance to hon. Members. In its Fourth Report for Session 1974 the Committee set out guidelines for the use of franked envelopes, emphasised that they were provided as an assistance to the parliamentary and not the political work of hon. Members, but recognised that decisions about their use must be left to the good sense of individual Members