26 FEBRUARY 1977, Page 16

Post Office delays

Sir: Of the eighteen second class letters Mr Sydney Norgate (12 February) alleges were delayed seventeen were in fact delivered on time. Under arrangements agreed with the Post Office Users' National Council the service standard for second class mail is delivery by the third working day after posting.

Second class mail is cheaper to handle because it is largely dealt with outside the periods when expensive night and weekend rates of pay apply. This enables the Post Office to offer customers a cheaper service for their non-urgent mail. 1 see nothing that is incompetent, inept or indifferent in that.

Peter H. Young

Director, Public Relations,

Post Office Central Headquarters, 23 Howland Street,

London W1

[Letter delivered by hand.—EorroR1