Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure there will be parliamentary oversight of reforms to the Universal Service Obligation for postal services.

Parliament has made Ofcom the independent regulator for the postal sector, and as such Ofcom has the responsibility to ensure the provision of the universal service obligation.

Ofcom proposed reforms to the universal service obligation in its consultation ending on 10 April. These specific proposals will not require ministerial or Parliamentary approval, but Ofcom remains accountable to Parliament, through mechanisms such as select committee evidence sessions and its statutory obligation to lay its Annual Report and Accounts in Parliament.