Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with Ofcom on stronger mechanisms for holding Royal Mail accountable for improving the reliability of letter deliveries.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is for Ofcom to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action. While the government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions, in January I met with representatives from Ofcom who gave their reassurance that Ofcom is closely monitoring Royal Mail’s performance and its action plan to drive improvement in quality of service.
In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail’s performance in the 2023-24 financial year, Ofcom fined the company £10.5m because of its failure to significantly improve service levels. The government expects that Ofcom will continue to closely monitor Royal Mail’s performance and take action where appropriate.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) the Royal Mail, (b) the Post Office and (c) Ofcom to collaborate on the (i) design and (ii) implementation of an Address and Collect service, ensuring access to mail for individuals without a secure address.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, including those that are without a secure address. The universal postal service is intended to provide an accessible postal service for all.
An address and collect service solution involving Royal Mail and the Post Office would be an operational matter for those businesses but their further joint working, including with Ofcom, on this issue would be welcomed by government.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he plans to take to use the Postcode Address File to support (a) innovation, (b) small businesses and (c) the economy.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Postcode Address File is owned by Royal Mail, not the Government. Royal Mail’s terms of access to the Postcode Address File are regulated by Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services.