§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in the financial year 1897–8, it is estimated by the Government that out of a total sum of £1,324,000, receipts for postage of parcels, £630,000 will be the net sum retained by the British Post Office, while £694,000, or 55 per cent., is to be paid over to the railway companies; whether the money for this annual payment to railway companies is ever submitted to Parliament, or is it paid by the Post Office to the railway companies out of receipts for parcels; and whether he will submit the estimate of Parcel Post expenditure to Parliament in the Post Office Estimates, and afford the means whereby Parliament may be able to judge whether the Parcel Post is carried on at a loss or profit, under the present system of keeping accounts?
§ MR. HANBURYIn the financial year 1897–8 the total receipts for postage on parcels was £1,425,293 not £1,324,000, the net receipt by the Post Office was £751,887 not £630,000, and the railway companies' share was £673,406 not £694,000. The annual payment to railway companies is submitted to Parliament in the Finance Accounts, and is paid out of the gross receipts in respect of parcels, in accordance with the provisions of 45 and 46 Vic, cap. 71, sec. 5. The Parcel Post expenditure cannot be shown separately in the Post Office Estimates, because the service is necessarily so closely interwoven with the other work of the Department.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONCan the right honourable Gentleman point to any part of the Estimates from which we can gather the revenue of this branch?
§ MR. HANBURYNo, Sir; the only distinction drawn is between the postal and telegraph services.