asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions she has issued to her Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether she will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

Detailed instructions are held by staff in the Department's Office Administration Code and in a Headquarters Circular which clearly indicate the type of communication that should be sent by the first-class service, and that items outside these express categories should be sent by the second-class service.