§ Judy MallaberTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will ensure that the delivery and planning of services in(a) Amber Valley and (b) Derbyshire by government departments and public agencies are not distorted by the fact that many areas in Derbyshire do not have DE postcodes. [120096]
§ Mr. TimmsI have been asked to reply.
665WThe postcode is a sorting and routing instruction for Royal Mail staff, and its sole purpose in the postal context is to help to identify the fastest and most efficient route for the transmission of mail to individual customers. The allocation of a postcode to each district and individual address is thus linked to Royal Mail's network of sorting and delivery offices and has never been intended to signify a geographically definitive address in terms of local authority or any other administrative boundaries.