Royal Mail

Ian Swales Excerpts

Wednesday 10th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

I find it extraordinary that Labour Members are raising the issue of post office closures. I think that three major waves of closures took place under the previous Government. We have stopped that and we are investing very heavily in new infrastructure to enable post offices to compete.

[Ian Swales (Redcar) (LD)]

Public sector Royal Mail wants to close a delivery office at South Bank in my constituency and has recently stopped sorting mail in the Tees valley altogether for the 750,000 people who live there. Does my right hon. Friend agree that a private sector Royal Mail will be more likely to review such decisions for overall value for money and customer service?

[Vince Cable]

Yes, I am sure that it should do that, but I do not wish to comment on the details of the industrial dispute that has led to that difficulty.