Michael Connarty
Main Page: Michael Connarty (Labour - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)(11 years, 3 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Michael Fallon
The postal service will continue. It is funded by the Ministry of Defence in agreement with Royal Mail.
Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (Lab)
As organising secretary of the communications group in this place for the 20 years I have been here, I am not surprised that the Minister is the person bringing this forward—domesday for Royal Mail is reality—but when someone gets old they will do anything to get into a ministerial car, I suppose.
The point is that the Postal Services Act 2011 is deeply flawed, because it will allow a Minister in a future Government—or even this Minister, although he will not do it before 2014—to go to a Statutory Instrument Committee, not the Floor of the House, and destroy all the things that are guaranteed at the moment. Is it not true that, although there might not be enough money to renationalise the industry after it is given to the private sector, only a Labour vote will guarantee that the universal service and the terms and conditions of employment in the Act will be sustained by a future Government?
Michael Fallon
This Government have put the protection in place that the universal service has to continue and be provided irrespective of the ownership of Royal Mail.