Oral Answers to Questions — Post Office – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 26 Chwefror 1964.
Mr Luke Teeling
, Brighton, Pavilion
12:00,
26 Chwefror 1964
asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the Brighton Income Tax officials consider a letter sent to a constituent of the hon. Member for the Pavilion Division of Brighton to have been received because it has not been returned through the Dead Letter Office; and what is taken to be proof of a letter having been received by the Postmaster-General.
Mr Raymond Mawby
, Totnes
I understand that a constituent of my hon. Friend was told by a Brighton tax office that, as a letter they had sent to him had not been returned to them by the Post Office Dead Letter Office, they had no evidence that he had not received it
If evidence is required of the posting of an unregistered letter, the sender must hand it in at a Post Office and obtain a certificate of posting, for which the fee is 1d
Mr Luke Teeling
, Brighton, Pavilion
Will my hon. Friend ensure that all Government Departments are informed of that regulation? Does he realise that quite a number of people have letters delivered at their houses which are not addressed to them and are not meant for them, not even for their street, and they are not necessarily at home to return them when the postman calls?
Mr Raymond Mawby
, Totnes
Yes; I will make certain that my respective right hon. Friends are informed of that point.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
