asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate direc- tions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

We have standing instructions to ensure that effective and economical use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.