§ Mr. Cockcroftasked the Secretary of State for Industry how the cost of distributing printed papers by inland post in the United Kingdom compares with the costs in Belgium, France, West Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and the United States of America.
§ Mr. KaufmanThere is no inland printed paper rate in the United Kingdom: the nearest equivalent is the second class letter service. The comparison of the basic weight step second class price in the United Kingdom and printed paper rates, or second weight step where this is nearer to the United Kingdom 60g step, in the countries mentioned is:
Country Price (limit of weight step) Price based on relative purchasing powert‡ United Kingdom 7p (60g) 7.0p Belgium 6 BF (50g) 7.0p France 1.40 F (50g) 13.3p West Germany 0.50 DM (50g) 9.3p Italy 70 L (50g) 5.0p Netherlands 0.80 G (50g) 14.7p Sweden 1.25 Kr (1 00g) 11.2p Switzerland 0.2–0.5 SF* (50g) 3.3p–8.3p United States of America. 10c/20c† (2oz, 57g) 5.1p/10.3p * Prices vary according to the size of item. † Prices for second class (for newspapers and some periodicals) and third class (for circulars, books, catalogues and seeds) services. ‡Source: West German Federal Statistical Office.