Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the future of local Post Office advisory committees. [124498]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Postal Services Bill is going through Parliament and the new Consumer Council for Postal Services (CCPS) is expected to be in place by 1 January 2001. It has been widely accepted that the existing arrangements for consumer representation in postal services should be reviewed as part of the process of forming the new Council. In April, Peter Carr, Chairman of the Post Office Users' National Council (POUNC) and Chair designate of the CCPS, issued a consultation document that sought views from interested parties on the new regional structure for CCPS.
It would be premature to make a statement until Peter Carr has had an opportunity to examine all the views he has received and has formally submitted his proposals to the Secretary of State for him to consider and approve.