asked the Chairman of Committees:Whether he is aware that letters sent to Ministers in their departments from the Palace of Westminster by the internal delivery service are regularly taking more than 24 hours to arrive and whether he will take steps to improve this service.

Mail which is handed in to the House of Lords' Mail Room for despatch to government departments outside the Palace of Westminster through the IDS (Inter-Despatch Service) is collected by IDS at 10.30 and 15.00 on working days.The IDS undertakes to meet the following delivery targets within the radius of the M.25:

Collect	Deliver
08.30–12.00 (day 1)	13.00–17.30 (day 1)
13.00–17.30 (day 1)	08.30–12.30 (day 2)

There is a complaints procedure which will be followed if specific examples of late delivery are notified to Black Rod's Office.A consultancy is currently being let to review existing external and internal mail services throughout the Parliamentary Estate, which encompasses, the Palace of Westminster and the outbuildings. The final report and recommendations are due on 10th May 1996.