Post Office (Hansard, 19 October 1998)

§ Mr. Redwood
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he expects to implement the EU Postal Liberalisation Directive; [53983]
(2) what plans he has to lower the £1 threshold for the postal monopoly. [53975]

§ Mr. Ian Bruce
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effect of the EU postal liberalisation directive on the position of the UK Post Office. [54469]

§ Mr. Brady
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to lower the Post Office's current £1 monopoly threshold. [54244]

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to reduce the Post Office's current monopoly threshold; [54210]
(2) if he will make a statement on the EU's postal liberalisation directive. [54452]

§ Mr. Mandelson
(holding answer 31 July 1998): EU Directive 97/67/EC, the "Postal Services Directive", sets out a common framework for postal services in the countries of the European Union.
The Directive will not require major changes in the UK but the Government will need to modify the Post Office monopoly and introduce some other amendments. Officials in my Department are discussing with the Post Office the precise arrangements which will be necessary. The final proposals will be announced later this year.
The Government must transpose the directive into UK law by February 1999. We expect to do this through secondary legislation using the European Communities Act 1972.
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§ Mr. Ian Bruce
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his policy for the future of the Post Office. [54852]

§ Mr. Ian McCartney
Work on the Government's review of the Post Office is proceeding apace, and we will announce our plans as soon as we are ready to do so.