§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will establish an inquiry into the performance of Royal Mail postal services in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [63150]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyNo. Operational responsibility for the performance of Royal Mail postal services nationally rests with the Post Office Board and management. However, under the package of reforms announced last week on 7 December 1998,Official Report, columns 21–39, to give the Post Office greater commercial freedom, there will also be a new independent Regulator and a strengthened role for the Post Office Users' National Council to protect customer interests, including standards of service and universal service commitments.
§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of change in the quality of postal services in rural areas in the past three years in terms of the time of day by which deliveries are made. [63869]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyNone. Operational responsibility for postal delivery times and arrangements in rural areas and towns rests with the Post Office Board and management. Under the package of reforms announced last week, on 7 December 1998,Official Report, columns 21–39, to give the Post Office greater commercial freedom, there will be a new independent Regulator and a strengthened role for the Post Office Users' National Council to protect customer interests, including standards of service, and universal service commitments.
§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on target delivery times for postal rounds in rural areas. [63885]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyThe target delivery times for postal rounds are set by the Post Office. Royal Mail aim to complete deliveries in rural areas by 2.00pm and in towns to complete first deliveries by 9.30am and to complete second deliveries by 2.00pm.