Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether there is a statutory basis for the forthcoming (a) introduction by Royal Mail of barcoded postage stamps and (b) invalidation of non-barcoded stamps on 1 February 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.
Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.
Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.
It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the average value of stamps held by each person in the UK as of 8 November 2022; if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of missing a deadline to swap those stamps for new barcoded stamps on those people.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.
Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.
Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.
It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the (a) forthcoming introduction by Royal Mail of barcoded postage stamps and (b) invalidation of non-barcoded stamps on 1 February 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.
Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.
Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.
It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of stamps that will become invalid after not being used or swapped for barcoded stamps before the deadline.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.
Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.
Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.
It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, What discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the effect on philately of the introduction of barcoded stamps.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.
Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.
Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.
It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the STEP project is supported by companies in the UK on out sourcing and forming operations for the metals required by that project, including Tungsten.
Answered by George Freeman
UK companies will play a critical role in helping to deliver STEP by 2040 and in turn, the Programme will develop capacity in the wider UK supply chain. Plans for the sourcing of materials including metals necessary for the success of STEP are in development and the UK Atomic Energy Authority continue to work closely with UK companies to maximise opportunity. The Department recently published the Critical Minerals Strategy which outlines how the UK will take collaborative action to diversify and increase the resilience of our supply chains.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on (a) disabled people, (b) older people and (c) ill people of allowing trade unions to vote on union matters electronically.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Before responding to the Knight Review recommendations, the Government was required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations.
We have done this and are now finalising our consideration of Sir Ken’s recommendations before we issue our response in due course.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing trade unions to hold votes electronically.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Before responding to the Knight Review recommendations, the Government was required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations.
We have done this and are now finalising our consideration of Sir Ken’s recommendations before we issue our response in due course.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps with trade unions to (a) remove the requirement for unions to ballot on paper and (b) make voting on union matters easier for members.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Before responding to the Knight Review recommendations, the Government was required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations.
We have done this and are now finalising our consideration of Sir Ken’s recommendations before we issue our response in due course.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implications for his policies of the recommendation of the Knight Review on allowing electronic voting for trade union ballots.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Before responding to the Knight Review recommendations, the Government was required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations.
We have done this and are now finalising our consideration of Sir Ken’s recommendations before we issue our response in due course.