HC Deb 13 February 2002 vol 380 cc360-1W
Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 January 2002,Official Report, column 13W, on Afghanistan, if he will publish the reduced rates under the BFPO number registered for parcels to be sent to Afghanistan; and what is the average number of deliveries of post per month to BFPO numbers relating to Afghanistan. [35818]

Mr. Ingram

The BFPO numbers applicable to operations in Afghanistan are BFPO 767 Muscat and BFPO 768 Thumrait, BFPO 761 Shalalah having closed on 21 January.

Mail is flown from the UK to Muscat six times per week whence it is carried by road, a two hour journey, to Thumrait. Mail for Kabul is then flown from Thumrait daily by the Royal Air Force. A total of 1,000 kg per day is despatched to Muscat and 475 kg per day forwarded to Kabul. As this is a recent service monthly averages are not available.

A full parcels service (up to 30 kg) is not available, but small packets up to 2 kg are sent at a maximum cost of £6.56.