Ministers Amend Mail Sell-Off Plans

[clashcityrocker]

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The Government has announced changes to its controversial plans to privatise the Royal Mail, saying they would provide extra "regulatory certainty" to the move.

Ministers published a number of amendments to the Postal Services Bill, which is currently going through Parliament in the face of opposition from postal workers.

The amendments include new powers for the regulator, Ofcom, to allow it to better monitor any potential threats to the universal service.

The Government said it also wanted to ensure that Royal Mail can remain the sole provider of the universal service for at least the next 10 years.

"These changes will give further clarity to the regulatory regime and enable the regulator to strike the right balance between competition and safeguarding the universal service - ensuring that Royal Mail can continue to deliver to the UK's 28 million addresses, six days a week," said the Business Department.

Postal Affairs Minister Edward Davey said: "Royal Mail is facing some huge challenges - falling mail volumes, a vast pension deficit, less efficiency than its competitors and an urgent need for more capital.

"The number one reason we are taking action is to ensure that the universal postal service is protected in the face of these challenges and that Royal Mail can keep delivering and collecting letters six days a week at an affordable, one-price-goes-anywhere tariff.

"Politicians, Royal Mail, other postal operators and the Communication Workers Union are also determined to safeguard the universal postal service.

"We have listened to their suggestions and made a series of changes that will further strengthen the legislation.

"These important amendments will give extra regulatory certainty to Royal Mail and increase transparency by putting even more reporting requirements on the Government."

[Lounge Lizard]

"enable the regulator to strike the right balance between competition and safeguarding the universal service"
- what "balance" ? Either you have a universal service or you don't.

"falling mail volumes" - yes, we still hear that on a near daily basis.