asked the Postmaster-General (1) what increase or decrease there has been, since the introduction of the two-tier post, in the amount of internal air mail;

Six per cent. decrease in weight. Payments are about £10,000 a month higher following revision of our contract with B.E.A. for the first time since 1959.

Is it not a fact that at present mail is not moving faster internally? Indeed, everyone now realises that the two-tier system is not working and that mail is not moving so fast, particularly in the South-West.

I cannot agree. The first-class mail reliability is very good, with an overall performance of 94 per cent. delivery the next day. The second-class mail performance for delivery the day after that is also very high.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish details of the agreement between the Post Office and Thomson Organisation for mutual assistance on advertising.

Thomson's promotes advertising in telephone directories. Post Office advertising aims to encourage greater use of the books.

Will the Postmaster-General confirm that in return for this concession to advertise in the yellow pages the Thomson Organisation published a four-page supplement advertising the Post Office free? Is it not an objection to barter of this sort that the Thomson Organisation is less liable to corporation tax than it would be if it received payment in full for these services?

Is is a very agreeable commercial relationship between the Post Office and Thomson's which produces a very good return for the Post Office. Responsibility for the Thomson advertising is that of the organisation itself. If this produces a better image for the Post Office, I am delighted.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to promote the improvement in the accuracy of addressing of letters.

Publicity in the form of leaflets, notices and posters.

Is the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that in the appropriate section of the telephone directory for Westmorland there is a pretty drawing of Wordsworth's cottage with the caption—"Dove Cottage, Rydal, Ambleside, Westmorland"? Do not even the hon. Gentleman and his Department know that Wordsworth's cottage is at Grasmere and not at Rydal?

That may be so. I cannot say [Interruption.] Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will wait while I answer.

Wake up!

Mr. Speaker, I am attempting to answer the supplementary which has been asked by the hon. Gentleman who tabled the Question.

Order. The hon. Gentleman must get on with his answer.

I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling) for the Question that he has tabled, because it gives me the opportunity of saying that, thanks to the skill of our sorters, most letters are delivered on time, but about ½ million a day—[Interruption.] I am saying this for the benefit of hon. Members—are badly addressed and slow down sorting. Half of them have to be given special attention. I shall look into the point the hon. Gentleman raised in regard to their addressing.

Order. Wordsworth was long but answers should be short.

On a point of order. Mr. Speaker. In view of the non-existent answer to my Question, I beg to give notice—

Order. Notice of intention to raise a matter on the Adjournment must be given in the conventional way. Other words waste time.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will issue a British motor racing stamp to mark the world-wide achievements of British racing motor drivers and cars.

We shall certainly bear this in mind when choosing future stamp programmes.

Will the Assistant Postmaster-General bear in mind the unequalled pre-eminence of British racing motor cars and British racing drivers in the last few years and recall that it is the only sport in which the British have been consistently pre-eminent year after year and, therefore, they deserve a stamp?

Many hundreds of subjects are suggested to us for commemoration by the issue of a stamp. My right hon. Friend has a difficult task in choosing be- tween them. Inevitably, worthy subjects can be excluded and people are disappointed, as applies in the case the hon Gentleman has suggested.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a special stamp on 24th October, 1970 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

We have not yet decided the anniversaries to be celebrated by special stamps in 1970, but I can assure my hon. Friend that this anniversary is on the list and is being seriously considered.

I am grateful to my hon Friend for that assurance. Will he pay special attention to the suggestion, since there is a case for getting away from too narrow a nationalism in the design of our stamps?

We fully recognise the importance of the organisation and the occasion, but we issued two special stamps for the United Nations in 1965, and we do not normally commemorate the same organisation twice in five years. But we are still considering the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is satisfied with the standard of the postal service in Westmorland since the introduction of the two-tier system; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. Earlier staff and transport difficulties have been overcome.

Does not the Assistant Postmaster-General remember that on 27th February the Postmaster-General said that Westmorland was well behind the rest of the country? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that within the last week I have received a letter concerning an important export order from one of my constituents which involved documents being sent by first-class mail in an ordinary envelope and which took five days to get from Hull to Windermere and a further five days to get from Windermere to Manchester, again by first-class mail?

We shall look into the individual case the hon. Gentleman has mentioned in his supplementary question, but complaints average about three a month.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement about the proposed new L.A.C.E.S. computer for London Airport.

Tenders are being evaluated and a contract will be awarded shortly.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the importance of installing British equipment in a place such as this, which is a great gateway to Britain?

I shall bear all factors in mind, but I want to award the contract to the supplier who can provide the best overall service.

asked the Postmaster-General what will be the salaries of the Chairman and members of the Post Office Board when the Post Office becomes a nationalised industry.

These details will be given as and when appointments are made.

Since the Post Office will be in the top league of nationalised industries, may I press the right hon. Gentleman to pay top league salaries, as recommended in the Prices and Incomes Board's Report; namely, £20,000 a year for the Chairman and appropriate levels down the scale? As they are new appointments, may I ask him to pay the full £20,000 and not the reduced level that other chairmen are getting?

I shall pay the proper rate to get the best man for the chairmanship and the best men or women as directors.

Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that the Deputy Chairman is to receive £2,000 a year, and be part-time, as is rumoured?

I cannot confirm or deny rumours that appear in the Press.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now satisfied that the new postal arrangements are working according to plan and with the measures taken to make them understood by the public; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are still a large number of people who are not aware of the delays likely to be incurred when the 4d. stamp is used? Will he ascertain whether the delays are causing undue anxiety to people?

I do not believe that they are causing undue anxiety, because the public know that if they want a first priority they must send their mail by first-class post, and 94 per cent. of it will be delivered by the next day. Over 90 per cent. of second-class post is delivered by the second day after posting. This is a very reliable service.

asked the Postmaster General what further plans he has regarding the timing of the delivery of second-class post; and if he will make a statement.

None, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the public would regard any further deterioration in the 4d. post as intolerable? Will he, therefore, unequivocally repudiate the remarks made on the subject in the Wesil Report?

There has been no deterioration in the 4d. post, which is achieving the delivery performance that was planned for it. I in no way intend to delay the delivery of second class mail. The standard of performance we now have provides a service to the public, and we shall maintain it.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state how much overtime has been paid directly or indirectly to Post Office staff to delay 4d. mail?

None, Sir.

asked the Postmaster-General why a minimum initial deposit of £5 is required to open an account with Giro.

To provide an initial working balance.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that one can pay £1 over the counter at any commercial bank and open an account? The requirement of an initial deposit of £5 is a discouragement to ordinary people who want to open an account with the Giro. It is a quarter of the ordinary man's weekly wage.

I am not entirely convinced that it is a discouragement, because the number of accounts we are opening is quite good, but I shall consider whether it would be helpful to reduce the deposit, though I am not convinced that it would be.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider every idea for making the Giro more attractive, particularly as his forecast of 1 million accounts has been shown to be totally wrong, as there are only 110,000 at present?

There is another Question on the Order Paper about this. I assure the hon. Gentleman that that was not my forecast.

asked the Postmaster-General on what criteria he decides the amount of compensation to be awarded to those people who are injured in resisting raids on post offices.

Compensation for these injuries is mainly the responsibility of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

Will the Minister reconsider the standards? Is he aware that in a recent case a 60-year old sub-postmaster was blinded while resisting thugs, and was given the derisory sum of £25?

If it is the case that I think the hon. Gentleman has in mind, the sub-postmaster received a bravery award from the Post Office. Compensation comes under an Act for which the hon. Gentleman's Government were responsible, and which I think was right and proper, and claims for compensation for injury and damage should be made under that Act. Where we can assist by an ex gratia payment, we do that.

asked the Postmaster-General when he proposes to extend the mini postal bus service to rural Norfolk.

We have no immediate plans.

In view of the under-population and lack of public transport in the area, and the failure of the Norfolk County Council to use its discretionary power to provide transport for children who have less than two miles to walk to school, could my hon. Friend come to the rescue, think again, and extend his imaginative service to rural Norfolk?

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern for his constituency and all of rural Norfolk. We have given every consideration to this, and are prepared to have another look at the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will announce the name of the Chairman of the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

Not yet.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the delay is intolerable? How long has he been looking for a Chairman? It is true that he has approached seven people who have turned him down? As he has not made a decision on the salary, how does he think he can approach people to take on this important job?

It would not have been appropriate to announce the appointment of the Chairman until the Post Office Bill had gone through all its stages in the House of Commons. Certain Amendments were considered which would have had some bearing on the matter. I have been considering the appointment since last July. It is not true that seven people have turned it down; none has turned it down. I have been considering a wide variety of names so that I may appoint the best individual for the job when the time comes.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now make a statement on the investigation into and report on the Post Office and its postal services, carried out and compiled by Denis Wesil, the former North Eastern Postal Director.

I am not proposing to take major decisions on the Wesil Report until all views on it have been considered.

Will the Minister publish the report, or let us have it in some way, so that we can examine is properly, rather than reading the brief Press reports?

I published it, and it is available to all hon. Members if they wish to have it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the letter sent to him by the Dalton and District Owner Occupiers Association, he will inquire into the extent to which people have to wait to be served in the Dalton Crown Office; and if he will maintain and improve the service provided by this post office.

A recent inspection showed that even at busy times no one wanted longer than 3½ minutes. For most people there was practically no waiting. We shall do all we can to maintain a good standard of service.

Will the hon. Gentleman state what justification there can be for the proposed closure of Dalton Post Office, in view of the increasing demand for its services? Will he give an undertaking that in the event of this proposal being implemented, no full-time employee will lose his job?

We have to provide services as economically as possible, and we cannot afford to retain a Crown Office where the standard of service can be given as efficiently and more economically on an angency basis. I can assure my hon Friend that no permanent employee will lose his job.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the further representations from the hon. Member for West Ham, North about letters carrying first-class postage taking two and three days to reach Westminster when posted in boroughs in the inner London and Greater London boundaries; and whether he will now take action to improve these postal deliveries.

I have made inquiries. In each case the letters reached the House of Commons on the day after posting and following redirection were delivered a day after that. They were not delayed in the Post Office.

Will the Postmaster-General have a look at a whole batch of envelopes that have been sent to him over a period of weeks, showing that two or three days have been taken for letters to travel from the Ministry of Transport in Southwark to the House of Commons? Surely he ought to give an assurance that a letter can travel from one London borough to another in 24 hours?

I am prepared to investigate all individual complaints, but I am not prepared to accept responsibility when our service is 100 per cent., as it was in the cases referred to in the original Question.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the total value of contracts placed by his Department in Scotland in each of the last 10 years; and what were the comparable figures for Fife.

Records do not go back beyond October 1961. Separate information for Fife is not available but I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the value of contracts placed in Scotland.

Can my hon. Friend say what proportion of the Post Office telephone exchange equipment is manufactured in development areas, and in which factories in Scotland is it manufactured? Will he say what steps are being taken to encourage the contractors in the bulk supply agreements to produce in the development areas?

Contractors which are parties to the bulk supply agreements have been encouraged to produce as much equipment as possible in development areas, including Scotland. We estimate that about 70 per cent. of our exchange equipment is manufactured in development areas. There are three factories making exchange equipment in Scotland, at East Kilbride, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, in Fife.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In reply to Question No. 20 dealing with the Giro, the Postmaster-General said that there was another Question on the Order Paper relating to this. There is no such Question, either Oral or Written. Can we have protection?

Order. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would raise this at the end of Question Time. I cannot give the hon. Gentleman protection against what the Minister says.

asked the Postmaster-General what consultations he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the financing of the future of sound radio; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General what proposals he has now received from the British Broadcasting Corporation about the future financing and transmission of sound broadcasting: and if he will make a statement.

None yet.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that most people would be bitterly opposed to any reduction in the quality and quantity of B.B.C. sound programmes? Whatever the financial consideration, does he agree that it would be a thoroughly retrograde step if the B.B.C. decided to abandon the music programme on Channel 3 and close down the long-established regional centres?

I am sure that the B.B.C. will keep that point in mind.

Will my right hon. Friend resist the use of advertising in any of the B.B.C.'s programmes in any proposals he makes as a result of the review? Will he confirm that any fresh attempts by the Greater London Council or any other local authority to introduce commercial stations will be resisted?

I was very glad that the House decided to reject the G.L.C. Bill, but I shall have to bear all factors in mind when I consider the results of the experiment, and I would not want to anticipate that evaluation.

When he made his speech in the debate on the London radio Bill, was the right hon. Gentleman aware of the B.B.C.'s plans, since published in the Press?

I am as much aware of the B.B.C.'s plans as any Member. I have not yet had any formal discussions with the B.B.C.

While I do not depart from the view that the House should not seek to interfere in any way with programme presentation, production or content, will the right hon. Gentleman undertake that before there is any change in the system of broadcasting or any demolition of the present B.B.C. regional structure the House will have an opportunity to debate the matter?

I cannot give an absolute assurance, but I assure the House that before any fundamental changes are made I shall have close consultations with the Corporation.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement about the progress of the local radio experiments.

Not yet.

Will my right hon. Friend accept that one of the most significant results of the success of the local radio experiments by the B.B.C. is the enthusiastic response they have had amongst young people? Does he agree that there has been a sizable increase in sales of v.h.f. radio sets in areas with a local radio station?

I agree that there has been a great increase in the participation of young people in the programmes, and that sales of v.h.f. sets have gone up.

Does the right hon. Gentleman approve the evident tendency of those engaged in B.B.C. local radio to participate in political controversy, even to the extent in Leeds of circulating Labour Party literature?

I am not aware of that. But I think that those involved in the experiments are fully entitled to describe their experiences. I believe that they have added a great deal to our information about the experiments.

asked the Postmaster-General what estimate he has made of the effects upon the advertisement revenue of newspapers of the granting of a fourth television channel to commercial contractors.

A precise figure is not available.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is illogical to oppose commercial radio on the ground that it might jeopardise newspapers and yet permit a second commercial television channel, which might succeed in killing many of them off? Is not the real priority quality and not quantity?

These are points that we must bear in mind as and when we give consideration to a fourth channel and whether or not it should go to I.T.V.

asked the Postmaster-General how much was paid by the Government to the British Broadcasting Corporation in return for the broadcasting at 12 noon on 2nd May of advertisements put out by Government Departments for more engineers and tax collectors.

Nil, Sir.

Should not this practice be stopped, since the Minister has now accepted the principle that nationalised industries should not be required to do Government dirty work for nothing? Is he aware that it is remarkably offensive to other employers to have their employees bribed away from them by free advertisements on the B.B.C. which are not available to them to try to bribe away public sector employees?

I do not believe that there is such resentment. The B.B.C. must be allowed to announce such appointments if it chooses, along with other announcements of interest to the public.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date the full colour television service will commence: and if he will make a statement.

Colour on B.B.C.1 and I.T.V. will start on 15th November in the metropolitan area and will be progressively extended to other parts of the country.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his announcement that the Post Office has been able to keep the November date will be widely welcomed by the B.B.C., independent television, and the industry, which has invested £100 million in capital? Will he press on with the extension of the work to the rest of the country?

Yes, Sir.

When does my right hon. Friend expect the colour service to be extended to Scotland?

And Northern Ireland.

How soon does my right hon. Friend expect all the channels in the north of the country to have colour?

I do not expect colour to be extended to Scotland or Northern Ireland before the end of the year, but I hope that we can begin planning to have it a short period after that.