asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of Christmas cards sent out by his Parliamentary Secretary; the purchase cost; and the cost of postage.

400 Christmas cards costing £19.65 were sent out by my Parliamentary Secretary at Christmas, 1975.

The cards were dispatched as departmental post and there was no separate postage charge.

Did the Minister wish them a prosperous New Year and is he going to give it to them in the public sector?