Post Office Counter Services (Hansard, 27 July 1989)

§ Mr. Ridley

The Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report (Cmnd. 398) was published on 23 June 1988. In September 1988 the Post Office produced an initial progress report detailing its response to the 80 recommendations made by the MMC on various aspects of the operation of Crown offices and wider issues. Of these, 35 were identified as of priority. As indicated by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in a written answer on 31 December,Official Report, column 271, the Post Office accepted 68 of the Commission's recommendations, rejected one and had reservations or qualifications about the remaining 11. The reply also indicated that my Department had agreed a detailed timetable for implementation of the accepted recommendations, many of which needed an extended period for implementation, and would be monitoring the Post Office's progress on the basis of reports in June 1989 and June 1991.

I have now received the Post Office's report on progress to May 1989 and I am placing copies in the Library of the House. Good progress has been made in a number of areas. The report indicates that 18 of the recommendations which were wholly or partly accepted, including eight of the priority recommendations, have been implemented. They include improvements to budgetary arrangements, management information and working procedures; and the inclusion in this year's corporate plan, which we are currently considering, of the analysis of options for the business recommended by the MMC.

Most of the remaining recommendations, including 24 of the priority recommendations, are on course for implementation within the agreed timetable. There has, however, been slippage on 14 of the recommendations. My Department will continue to monitor implementation of the outstanding recommendations and will pay particular attention to progress on those which are behind schedule. A further formal report will be made in June 1991.