Royal Mail: Universal Postal Service
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord West of Spithead
Viscount Younger of Leckie
My noble friend makes an interesting point but the minimum requirements of the universal postal service are enshrined in law, and include six-day delivery to every address, rural and urban, in the UK. I reiterate that the protections are exactly the same for rural areas as urban areas. The Postal Services Act also ensures that universal services are offered at uniform prices throughout the UK; so universal services cannot be offered at different prices in different areas around the UK.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, why is it still called “Royal” Mail? Does this mean that any company can use that prefix?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
It is called Royal Mail because the universal service includes the Queen’s head, which will remain on the stamps—as set in stone.
Automotive Industry
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord West of Spithead
Viscount Younger of Leckie
That is a very specific question from my noble friend; I will write to him with an answer.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, do we get pull-through from our amazing British innovation and skill in the F1 arena, where we are world leaders, into our automotive industry?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
Yes, indeed we do. That gives me a chance to applaud the Formula 1 and car industry in this country, where we are number one in the world.
Supermarkets: Pricing
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord West of Spithead
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, so that I am not caught out in the future, will the Minister tell us exactly what is meant by a loaf of bread? There seem to be so many of them.
Broadband: Street Cabinets
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord West of Spithead
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The noble Lord makes an extremely good point. I know that DCMS officials have already had discussions with Ofcom, BT and Virgin Media regarding a proposed code of practice that includes ensuring that these cabinets are placed in positions of safety on the streets and so, for example, not on street corners or on narrow streets. That will allow individuals, including disabled people, to pass by.
Lord West of Spithead
My Lords, I am low on the learning curve. How many of these cabinets per square mile will there be once the project is fully rolled out? I have to say that I was not worried about them at the start of this Question, but I am becoming more and more worried.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I would like to reassure the noble Lord that, although it is difficult to describe precisely where they will be, they will be positioned where they need to be positioned around the UK. I would also like to reassure the noble Lord that they will not be on every street corner. They will be sited very discreetly on occasional streets.
Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord West of Spithead
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I wholeheartedly agree with the noble Lord. Having watched much of the Paralympics, I was greatly moved by the events. I was also greatly impressed by the television coverage, to which the noble Lord alluded, and by the previews of all the events, not just the Paralympic ones. For example, I thought that the UK editing was outstanding. I do not think that we have ever seen that before in any other Olympic Games.
Lord West of Spithead
My Lords, does the Minister agree that one of the great successes of the Olympics and Paralympics was how well our military stepped into the breach and made them run well, and that they deserve immense congratulations on that? That means that the cost figures may not be exactly what they seem. The military can always provide a capability in an emergency of any kind in this country. Does the Minister agree that reducing our military by some 30,000 is a bit of a problem when one looks to the future?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I take note of what the noble Lord has said. I do not want to go into the cuts element of that, but say only that I wholeheartedly agree with him that the military stepped into the breach, as it were, extremely readily, again with smiles, and that they should be wholeheartedly congratulated.