Royal Mail

Lord Hanson of Flint Excerpts

Wednesday 10th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

I believe that my hon. Friend’s experience was with the National Freight Corporation, which was one of the many successful privatisations that nobody would dream of reversing. He makes the specific point that there are major opportunities for Royal Mail in international trade through logistics. That market is now opening up. One of our central objectives in the single market negotiations is to lift the barriers to e-commerce, and Royal Mail has the potential to benefit substantially from that, provided it invests substantially. This action will enable it to do that.

[Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)]

Is the Secretary of State able to give a guarantee that, if this proposal proceeds, my constituents in rural north Wales will pay exactly the same for a stamp as constituents in Westminster?

[Vince Cable]

Yes, of course, and the right hon. Gentleman should know that because he voted through the legislation to provide that guarantee.