HC Deb 30 January 2004 vol 417 c596W
Keith Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the members of the(a) Post Office Users Council for Scotland, (b) Post Office Users Council for Northern Ireland, (c) Post Office Users Council for Wales, (d) English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications and (e) Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151448]

Mr. Timms

In 2001 the former Post Office Users National Council was replaced by a new Consumer Council of Postal Services, known as Postwatch. The Postwatch Council is made up of the Chairs of nine Regional Postwatch Committees and four national Council members, operating under a National Chairman. Full details of all Council members and their remuneration are set out in the Postwatch Annual Report. Currently the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh committees are chaired by, respectively John Stringer, Tom Begg and Eifon Pritchard. The remuneration for the Regional Chairs is based on an average annual rate of £20,500 per annum for two days per week; with some working for two and a half and some three days per week.

The Advisory Committees on Telecommunications effectively ceased to exist with the vesting of Ofcom on 29 December 2003.