asked the Minister of Agriculture why a circular, called "Fabian Quiz," advertising the Fabian Society, appealing for members and for financial support for that society, was sent out in a franked envelope bearing on its label, "On His Majesty's Service," and, "On the official business of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, London."

A number of the circulars in question were sent by the Fabian Society to officers in my Department through the post, in the ordinary way, in plain envelopes. Some of them were wrongly addressed and were redirected. In some of these cases, including that referred to by the hon. Member, of which he has given me particulars, the redirection was done by affixing a preaddressed economy label, of which a stock is kept, to save the labour of redirecting by hand.

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that any literature of a Communist, Fascist or seditious nature sent to the Ministry of Agriculture will be redirected or disseminated under labels marked "on the official business of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries"?

The hon. and learned Gentleman must not understand anything of the kind. If letters are sent to the Ministry of Agriculture addressed to one of its officers, it is not unreasonable that the letter should be redirected to that particular officer.

I was not suggesting that it was unreasonable that it should be redirected, but why not use a plain label, instead of one saying "On the official business of the Ministry of Agriculture"?

Because the labels are already printed expressly for the purpose of redirecting correspondence to officers of the Department in the provinces.