Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions officials in his Department have had with Ofcom on allowing tracking in the Universal Service as part of the Review of postal regulation.

The Department has regular discussions with Ofcom on a wide range of issues, including its duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service.

Ofcom has indicated in its consultation on its current review of postal regulation, that it does not intend to bring tracked products into the scope of the universal service (First and Second Class services) because of the potential impacts on end-to-end parcels competition. Ofcom’s consultation closed for responses on 3 March. The Government has no role in such decisions which are a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator for postal services.