Lord Bownessasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, when the Postal Services Bill is enacted, Ministers will answer written enquiries from Members of both Houses of Parliament or parliamentary Questions about postal services or whether such questions will be referred to the proposed Postal Services Commission for reply. [HL2779]
§ The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Post Office Reform White Paper (Cm 4340) sets out the responsibilities of the Government, the Postal Services Commission and the Users' Council once the reform package including the Postal Services Bill is in place.
Ministers will of course offer Members of both Houses of Parliament the courtesy of a reply, but, in those cases where the substantive response is the responsibility of another, the matter will be referred on to them, so that as full and informative a response as possible can be given. Clearly a swifter response is likely if issues that are the responsibility of the Postal Services Commission or the Users' Council are put direct to them.