Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered the potential impact of changes to EU customs duties for small parcels on the responsibility to promote knowledge exchange under the Florence Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has been following the development of the EU’s Union Customs Code reforms closely, including the removal of the €150 customs duty relief for small parcels from 1 July 2026. These are EU domestic measures, and we are engaging with the European Commission and UK businesses to understand the implications. My department has published guidance on gov.uk to support exporters to continue to access EU markets.
We recognise the importance of the UNESCO Florence Agreement in promoting the exchange of educational, scientific and cultural materials by reducing customs barriers that could impede knowledge exchange.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of second class post in Frome and East Somerset constituency is delivered on time.
Answered by Justin Madders
Ofcom are the independent regulator of postal services, and the Government do not collect or hold this type of information. Ofcom has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of first class post in Frome and East Somerset constituency is delivered on time.
Answered by Justin Madders
Ofcom are the independent regulator of postal services, and the Government do not collect or hold this type of information. Ofcom has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on achieving delivery targets for (a) first and (b) second class mail.
Answered by Justin Madders
In November I met with Royal Mail’s CEO and stressed the importance of a reliable postal service including for first and second class mail.
As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to oversee Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations. While the government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions, I also recently met with representatives from Ofcom who reasserted their commitment to ensuring that the universal postal service meets the reasonable needs of users.