Scottish Affairs Committee announces new inquiry: Postal

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Scottish Affairs Committee announces new inquiry: Postal Services in Scotland

The Scottish Affairs Committee wants to hear views on the importance of postal services for individuals and businesses throughout Scotland, in urban and rural areas, and how these services might change in the future.

There are more than 1,400 post offices in operation in Scotland and a recent survey for Consumer Focus found that 82 per cent of consumers in Scotland use a post office at least once a month.

Terms of reference

The Committee would particularly like to hear views on:
* The demand for postal services in Scotland, and how this might change in the future
* How the range of services provided by the Royal Mail Group could be expanded to include Government, local government and financial services
* The number of post offices and availability of postal services in Scotland in a) urban, b) rural and c) remote areas
* The number and role of sub post offices and outreach services in providing postal services in Scotland
* The implications of the Postal Services Bill for the universal service obligation
* What benefit a mutually owned or community run Post Office might have for Scotland
* The work of Parcelforce and the delivery of parcels to remote areas in Scotland
* The impact of postal services in Scotland on businesses
* The wider economic impact of postal services in Scotland on rural communities

The Committee welcomes written evidence from interested parties on any, or all, aspects of the inquiry by 19 November. The Committee will be arranging public oral evidence sessions, and details of these will be announced in due course.
Submissions should be in Word or rich text format and sent by e-mail to scotaffcom@parliament.uk. The body of the e-mail must include a contact name, telephone number and postal address. The e-mail should also make clear who the submission is from.
Submissions must address the terms of the inquiry and should not as a rule exceed 2,000 words. Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference, and the document should include an executive summary.

Once submitted and accepted as evidence, written submissions become the property of the Committee, and it is up to the Committee to decide the manner and timing of its publication or to authorise publication.

Further information on submitting written evidence can be found here
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