§ Mr. CasaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will issue social and environmental guidance to the Postal Services Commission; and if he will make a statement. [155543]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonI have today, in accordance with section 43(2) of the Postal Services Act 2000, issued guidance to the Postal Services Commission about the making by the Commission of a contribution towards the attainment of the social and environmental policies referred to in the guidance. A draft of the guidance had been laid, in the terms in which it is now being issued, before each House of Parliament on 8 February 2001, in accordance with section 43(4) of the Act. Copies of the guidance have been laid in the Libraries of each House and the guidance is also being made available on the DTI's website www.dti.gov.uk.
The process of giving statutory social and environmental guidance has been developed to provide a means of ensuring that regulators take due account of the Government's social and environmental policies in carrying out their statutory functions. Regulators have a statutory duty to have regard to the guidance.