Mr. Patrick McNair Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in view of his policy of improving efficiency in the Post Office, he will issue a directive to the Post Office on the subject of the number of deliveries of post made to addresses in any single day in order to avoid discrimination against certain consumers in particular geographical areas who at present receive only one delivery.
§ Mr. Butcher[pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1982, c. 130]: I understand that only a small fraction—about one-eighth—of all mail is carried in the second delivery. The cost of such delivery is therefore already disproportionately high in relation to the volume carried. In the light of the Government's objective that the Post Office should continue to reduce its costs, most recently expressed in the 243W announcement by my right hon, Friend the Secrtary of State of a new performance aim for the Post Office—[Vol. 18, c. 445]—I am not convinced that to do as my hon. Friend suggests would increase Post Office efficiency.