Business of the House

Jim McMahon Excerpts

Thursday 5th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Unfortunately, this issue has been raised on many occasions, and the House will understand and sympathise with the experience of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents, which, I am sorry to say, is all too frequent in many areas. Ofcom has fined Royal Mail three times for its service levels, and is investigating its compliance with its quality of service obligations. Royal Mail has been told urgently to publish and deliver a credible plan that delivers improvement. As the hon. Gentleman says, the public expect a well-run postal service, with letters arriving on time across the country. As he may know, the Business and Trade Committee called Royal Mail to Parliament over its performance, and I hope that Ministers will be able to report on an improvement to its service in the coming weeks.

[Jim McMahon (Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton) (Lab/Co-op)]

As we step into spring and look towards the local elections, all our attention will be drawn to the quality of our local neighbourhoods. It is clear, after a decade under the previous Government, that our neighbourhoods are still frayed, whether through potholes on our roads, the quality of our neighbourhoods because of fly-tipping, or the standard of our parks as people go out to enjoy them. Given that such issues are a cross-Government responsibility, and local government has an important delivery role, does the Leader of the House share my view that there is perhaps a role for a cross-Government taskforce on rebuilding neighbourhood services in every community across the country?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The Government are absolutely on this; we are ensuring that billions of pounds are available to local authorities so that potholes can be fixed. That seems a particularly current issue, not least because of the wet winter; but that does not matter—they need to be fixed. The Government are also committed, through the Pride in Place programme, to ensuring that neighbourhoods not only get investment, but that people living in those places are in charge of making decisions about their future. I will certainly put to the Secretary of State my hon. Friend’s suggestion.