Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish the (a) Master Services Agreement and (b) Mails Distribution Agreement between Royal Mail Group and Post Office Limited signed in January 2012.

It would not be appropriate for the Government to publish the agreed terms. The Master Services Agreement and Mails Distribution Agreement are commercial agreements that were negotiated by Royal Mail (RM) and Post Office Limited (POL), at arm's length, designed to govern the ongoing relationship between the businesses.

The Master Services Agreement was a transitional document dealing with the separation of POL and RM ensuring POL retained access to certain key functions while it developed its own standalone capabilities appropriate to an independent business.

The Mails Distribution Agreement governs the retail mail and parcels services offered by POL on behalf of RM, including commercial terms.