Performance of Royal Mail

Sarah Edwards Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Edwards (Tamworth) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friends the Members for Lichfield (Dave Robertson) and for Redditch (Chris Bloore) for securing this important debate.

Last year, Royal Mail, which is now owned by a Czech billionaire, was fined £21 million for failing to meet its delivery targets. In the same financial year, its chief executive received a £7 million bonus. That is a third of the cost of a fine paid while the service was failing the people who depend on it. The consequences are felt by my constituents. One resident in Hockley missed multiple hospital appointments because his letters were not delivered, and a resident in Shenstone village missed an insurance claim deadline because essential documents never arrived. Those are not minor inconveniences; they are barriers to healthcare, financial security and everyday life.

Rural communities are particularly badly affected, with some of my villages lucky enough to receive post twice a month, yet Royal Mail dismisses complaints, claiming that there are no problems in the relevant area. That is a stock response I receive that bears no relation to reality. Royal Mail divides areas into 118 overarching postcode areas, which mix dense urban centres with vast rural areas, meaning that the high delivery rates in town centres can hide issues and completely change the way in which we view the figures. We cannot allow Royal Mail to hide behind statistics that fail to reflect the lived experiences of residents.

[Phil Brickell (Bolton West) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend has spoken very passionately about the experiences of her constituents. My constituents have faced issues in which they have had mail only once every three or four weeks; one constituent did not receive 14 items of post. Does she agree that the Royal Mail’s treatment of Ofcom fines simply as a baked-in operational risk is one reason, among others, why we need a far more muscular regulatory regime?

[Sarah Edwards]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We can infer that there is definitely a baked-in position here, and that is a big problem, as we will hear from many Members. I hope that the importance of Ofcom being able to regulate better will be a crucial part of what we hear from the Minister.

As a member of the Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, I took part in our inquiry into Royal Mail’s performance. We exposed a frustrating cycle of pass the parcel: the Government say that they will strengthen Ofcom’s powers if asked, and Ofcom says that changes are for the Government to make. Meanwhile, Ofcom has admitted that fines against a loss-making company are entirely ineffective in improving services, yet its proposed response to continued failures is more fines. Those statements seem rather at odds with each other. Our Committee has recommended that if Royal Mail fails to improve within six months, the Secretary of State should consult on changing Ofcom’s powers and duties. Five months on, meaningful improvement is yet to materialise.

[Warinder Juss (Wolverhampton West) (Lab)]

We have heard repeatedly that Royal Mail has failed for a number of years and that Ofcom has repeatedly fined Royal Mail to no effect. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should look not at how Royal Mail might go out of business, but perhaps at a new business model for Royal Mail to take over? That might just be the renationalisation of Royal Mail.

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[Sarah Edwards]

It is absolutely crucial that we explore all the potential solutions. Members have floated a number of potential solutions, and we need to know that whatever solution is found will deliver the best service for constituents.

We have, for the first time in decades, a Government who have shown willing to stand up to the irresponsible chief executives who put individual profit over the people they serve—one example is taking action on water companies. Will the Minister commit to consulting on the regulatory changes needed to strengthen accountability at Royal Mail without waiting for Ofcom to request them? Will she ensure that Royal Mail meets directly with MPs to answer for its failures?

My constituents cannot afford another year, month or week of missed appointments, lost opportunities and letters from loved ones that never arrive. Our postal workers work incredibly hard, but they cannot be left to feel that no help is coming. I look forward to the Minister setting out a plan to deliver genuine change and restore this vital service for the communities who depend on it.