Universal Service Obligation (Mail Deliveries) HoC

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/? ... %22#g937.2


Michael Connarty Labour, Linlithgow and East Falkirk 9:30 am, 12th February 2015

What steps he plans to take to safeguard the universal service obligation for the delivery of mail.

Jo Swinson The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

The universal service obligation is not an optional extra—it is a fundamental duty enshrined in law and only Parliament could change that. In addition, it is the responsibility of the postal regulator, Ofcom, to ensure services are available throughout the UK at an affordable and uniform price, six days a week.

Michael Connarty Labour, Linlithgow and East Falkirk

I thank the Minister for that reply, but is it not time that we looked at how Ofcom carries out its remit, possibly through a judicial review of that remit? Given that Ofcom has been dragged reluctantly to review the actions of the cherry-pickers such as Whistl, which wants to pick mail up in the 8% of the UK’s geographical area that covers 42% of the mail thereby undermining the ability of Royal Mail to deliver, Ofcom attacked the standard of wages and conditions of the Royal Mail workers rather than deal with the problem of cherry-picking of the universal service obligation, which could be irrecoverably damaged.

Jo Swinson The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

There is agreement on both sides about the importance of the universal service obligation, and I do not think there is any evidence that the regulator is failing to fulfil its duty. It looked in detail at the case the Royal Mail put forward last summer and concluded that the market is operating as it should at the moment. It is committed to a further review later this year, and is also looking at the issue of access pricing. These issues are continually under consideration because the USO is so important.


Ian Murray Shadow Minister (Business, Innovation and Skills)

I am disappointed that you did not tell the House the middle names of this Minister, Mr Speaker, but perhaps we can look forward to that later.

It is nearly 18 months since the botched privatisation of Royal Mail. There are reports almost weekly of its being under pressure from the impact of Amazon’s increased use of its own delivery network, and from rivals which are cherry-picking the most profitable services. As the Minister has just said, Ofcom recently concluded that other firms did not have to match Royal Mail’s costly standards in the delivery of the universal service obligation. Given that Labour warned time and again that privatisation would ultimately threaten the USO, and given that the National Federation of SubPostmasters called it a “reckless gamble”, will the Minister look again at the USO, and give a cast-iron guarantee that it will be secure under this Government?

Jo Swinson The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

This Government have already given that cast-iron guarantee by legislating for it in the Postal Services Act 2011. Parliament has set it very firmly in stone. Unless the hon. Gentleman thinks that any future Labour Government would be minded to change the position, I hope that Members on both sides of the House can feel confident that the universal service obligation is secure.

As I said earlier, Ofcom, the regulator, has significant powers to obtain information from other operators in the market. It monitors operators’ plans regularly, and looks at the information every month. Operators must also inform the regulator of their future plans. That will remain under review, and a formal review will take place later this year. I think that what I have said should reassure the House that the universal service obligation is here to stay.

TurnerAndrew Turner Conservative, Isle of Wight

Will the Minister help me by explaining why postal collections that used to take place at 4 pm now take place at 9 am?

Jo Swinson The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

That is obviously a slightly different issue from the USO, but I can tell the hon. Gentleman that Royal Mail has reviewed the time of collections from post boxes in which fewer than 50 items of mail were being deposited each day, as part of an overall review of its service. In a positive move which I think Members should welcome, it has maintained all those collection points rather than decommissioning some of them, although collections will be less frequent. It has also ensured that there will be an alternative posting point within half a mile of post boxes from which there are fewer collections or an earlier final collection, from which mail will be collected later.

[redneck]

The earlier collections have yet to start in the area where I work, we have been told they are delayed for discussions between union and management. Also they are very much six days a week still, the Tory is ill-informed. When they do come in, it will be another decline in the service. All hot air from the politicians.

[El-Bandito]

TBT to be honest m8y stop wasting your time posting crap like this. No - one with an ounce of intelligence that works for RM cares. RM and political parties are all on the same hymn sheet. Liars, soundbites, bullsh*t. Please post relevant info regarding the average postie. It will stop wasting your time and ours. Rant over.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

TBT to be honest m8y stop wasting your time posting crap like this. No - one with an ounce of intelligence that works for RM cares. RM and political parties are all on the same hymn sheet. Liars, soundbites, bullsh*t. Please post relevant info regarding the average postie. It will stop wasting your time and ours. Rant over.

We don't force you to read it, ignore it if you think its going to waste your time.

[fishtank]

One of our boxes now has a 7am collection time for a saturday, we haven't quite worked out how it's going to get collected yet, maybe someone can get it on the way to work.

[El-Bandito]

I stated that it also wastes YOUR time, TBT. You might as well start calling this site royalmailcourierchat. We ARE being creamed out on the streets. The silence from the CWU is deafening. Lapsing is basically every day, 6 days a week. Being used as a rod to break our backs. Anything in the NEWS about that, NO. Just more guff about political party, x y & z, stating what they will do. This is an impartial site is it not?

And of course you are correct, I do not have to read this. Though when you post false promises, from ANY political party, especially in election year. And especially in the news section of course I will bite. Every D.O. Postie KNOWS that the USO will go. Not if,but when.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I stated that it also wastes YOUR time, TBT.

I think I will be the judge of what is wasting my time or no. You have that prerogative as do I.

You might as well start calling this site royalmailcourierchat.

No need to be insulting

We ARE being creamed out on the streets.

Yes we are - thats what people post on here every day.

The silence from the CWU is deafening. Lapsing is basically every day, 6 days a week. Being used as a rod to break our backs. Anything in the NEWS about that,NO.

Its not in the news because people aren't making any noise except on here.

Just more guff about political party, x y & z, stating what they will do. This is an impartial site is it not?

Yes, well not entirely we are pro-postie in most things. However if we are to be seen as impartial that means posting news from various sources, organisations and political views. If we don't post claims or promises from Political Parties, it makes it harder to take them to task when they fail to honour them.

And of course you are correct, I do not have to read this. Though when you post false promises, from ANY political party, especially in election year. And especially in the news section of course I will bite. Every D.O. Postie KNOWS that the USO will go. Not if,but when.

Bite if you want, but freedom of speech is not a one sided affair, sometimes you have to let people judge others by themselves, and we can't let them do that without first giving them the opportunity to see opposing views, whether we agree with them or not.