Royal Mail: Universal Postal Service

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2014 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

My noble friend makes an interesting point but the minimum requirements of the universal postal service are enshrined in law, and include six-day delivery to every address, rural and urban, in the UK. I reiterate that the protections are exactly the same for rural areas as urban areas. The Postal Services Act also ensures that universal services are offered at uniform prices throughout the UK; so universal services cannot be offered at different prices in different areas around the UK.

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, why is it still called “Royal” Mail? Does this mean that any company can use that prefix?

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

It is called Royal Mail because the universal service includes the Queen’s head, which will remain on the stamps—as set in stone.