§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Lord Privy Seal how many post boxes are cleared by the staff of the House of Commons Post Offices; if he will give separately the numbers (a) within the Palace of Westminster, (b) within the precincts of the House of Commons and (c) within outbuildings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BiffenThe number of post boxes cleared by the House of Commons Post Office staff is 28 and these are all situated within the Palace of Westminster. Within the House of Commons the number of boxes cleared is 21. The House of Commons Post Office staff clear no post boxes within the outbuildings of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange for all mail posted in parliamentary outbuildings used by the House of Commons to receive a House of Commons postmark; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BiffenI am advised that it is not practicable for mail posted in the parliamentary outbuildings to be brought into the House of Commons in order to receive a House of Commons postmark.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Lord Privy Seal how many items of mail were handled (a) inwards and (b) outwards by the House of Commons Post Office; and what information he has as to the amount of mail originating in parliamentary outbuildings used by the House of Commons taken direct to other offices in London SW, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Biffen(a) Approximately 5 million items of inward mail are delivered to the House of Commons annually and are handled by the House of Commons Post Office.
(b) Approximately 3.5 million outward items, all posted within the Palace of Westminster, are handled by the House of Commons Post Office annually.
(c) Approximately 2 million items of outward mail in the Palace outbuildings are cleared direct to the south-west mechanised letter office at Nine Elms annually. Figures for each of the last three years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.