To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to monitor the cost of its mail services in the last 12 months. (221480)

The core Department's supplier of postal services is Royal Mail. In financial year 2007-08, and from information held centrally, the Department incurred costs of some £4.89 million with Royal Mail.

This compares with £5.21 million for the financial year 2006-07. On figures to date for financial year 2008-09, annual expenditure with Royal Mail will total a little over £4 million—a further substantial reduction in expenditure obtained though efficiencies and commercial discussions.

Postal services from Royal Mail attract mailsort, postal and volume discounts.

DEFRA's policy is to reduce the number of printed publications, especially leaflets that are produced and posted to stakeholders.