Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of Royal Mail's effectiveness in meeting the universal service obligation in Aberdeenshire.

Royal Mail as the designated Universal Service Provider for the whole of the UK provides the same service for almost all communities and businesses in Scotland, including in Aberdeenshire, as it does across the UK.

The Government has ensured that a strong regulatory framework is in place to protect the universal postal service. The primary statutory duty of Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, is to secure the provision of the universal postal service. Specifically, one of the safeguards of the regulatory framework is an effective and ongoing monitoring regime to track Royal Mail’s performance (for example, on quality of service and affordability of universal services, and progress on efficiency).