Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if her Department will take steps to help improve service delivery standards of parcel delivery companies.

Ofcom, which is the independent regulator for the sector, has powers to impose requirements on postal operators to protect customers.

In its review of the regulatory framework for post last year, Ofcom concluded that competition in the parcels market was driving benefits for consumers but that there were some problems that needed to be addressed. It proposed new guidance on complaints handling processes for parcel operators which will take effect from 1 April 2023. Ofcom has committed to ongoing monitoring and to consider enforcement action, or further regulation, if progress is not made.