§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy towards postal services for forces on operations overseas. [164197]
§ Mr. IngramPostal services for HM Forces on overseas operations form part of the overall Operational Welfare Package (OWP). The postal element of this consists of free Forces Air Letters ("Blueys") and their electronic equivalent, the "e-Bluey", and airmail letters and packets up to 2kg at a subsidised rate equivalent to UK inland first class postage. When operational circumstances permit, a surface parcel service is also made available at a subsidised rate.
In addition to these comprehensive arrangements, an exceptional extension to the service for Iraq only was provided from 17 April 2003 to enable families of deployed personnel to post airmail letters and packets up to 2kg free of charge. The free packet service was introduced in recognition of the particularly austere conditions faced by personnel in Iraq and of the fact that parts of the OWP were not available to them. Since the entire OWP will be available from April, I advised the House in my Written Statement of 27 February 2004, Official Report, columns 69–70WS, that this temporary free postal service would be discontinued with effect from 8 April 2004, to bring provisions in Iraq into line with those for other operational theatres.