Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reliability of postal deliveries in rural areas, and what plans they have to further investigate this matter.

The government is committed to a sustainable universal postal service for users throughout the UK, including maintaining the one-price-goes anywhere principle including for those in remote and rural areas.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.