§ SIR J. COLOMB (for Mr. HENNIKER HEATON)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Post Office revenue is recouped the cost direct or indirect, of the free money orders issued for Inland Revenue purposes and how many of the free money orders are issued in the nine months up to December 31, 1888, and if the number is increasing; and whether a sum of about one million and a half sterling was recovered by the Post Office during the last 12 months on accounts of the Inland Revenue, and what amount was transferred from the Inland Revenue to the Post Office for this service?
§ * THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareThe number of free money orders issued for the Inland Revenue purposes was 253,107 in the nine months ending December 31, 1888, and the number is increasing. The Post Office Revenue was not recouped directly or indirectly the cost of these orders. Such a course would be contrary to the well-established rule that one public department does not make payments to another public department services rendered to it by that other.