Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to provide guidance to Ofcom on maintaining access to (a) affordable and (b) time-sensitive subscription publications, following changes to the Universal Service Obligation.

A reliable and affordable universal postal service is crucial to the UK, and we are clear it must work for customers, workers and businesses that help drive growth across the country.

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. The government is not involved in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.

Ofcom’s reforms to the universal service obligation are intended to improve Royal Mail’s reliability. The regulator is conducting a review of pricing and affordability and plan to publish a consultation in the new year.