§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 May,Official Report, columns 324–25, where he has published his estimate of the effect of granting each specific request of the Post Office for greater commercial freedom, including its effect on (a) the current business and (b) projects of existing private firms.
§ Mr. McLoughlinI have published no such estimates.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement clarifying the Government's position regarding the future of the postal service.
§ Mr. HeseltineWe will be publishing a Green Paper shortly.
§ Mr. HainTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether Parcelforce will retain its VAT exempt status once it is privatised;
(2) what services offered by (a) the Royal Mail and (b) Parcelforce which are currently zero-rated will attract: VAT after privatisation;
(3) pursuant to his answer of 16 June, Official Report, column 630, whether all the services at present offered by Parcelforce will retain their VAT zero-rating status after privatisation.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe issue of VAT on postal services will be covered in the Green Paper on postal services, which will be published shortly.