Six-day mail delivery could be axed by secondary legislation

[TrueBlueTerrier]

UK minister: six-day mail delivery could be axed by secondary legislation

http://postandparcel.info/58096/news/re ... gislation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UK business minister Michael Fallon has quietly revealed that the government could water down Royal Mail’s six-day-a-week delivery requirement with a Statutory Instrument.

Both the government and Royal Mail have been attempting to keep public and employees on side in the current privatisation process by stressing that the terms of the current universal postal service could not be changed under new ownership without full Parliamentary approval.

Royal Mail’s IPO is currently scheduled for the coming weeks, with government insisting that privatisation will not mean reduced service quality for mail delivery.

But last week Fallon was forced to admit to Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop that he went too far in suggesting that a full Act of Parliament would be required to change the current requirement for six-day-a-week delivery.

Fallon said he had been wrong to state in Parliament on 12th September that the six-day service could not be changed through a Statutory Instrument.

“This was incorrect,” he confirmed in the letter shared by shadow postal affairs minister Ian Murray MP.

A Statutory Instrument, unlike a full Act of Parliament, is described by Parliament itself as “secondary” or “subordinate” legislation, which often only needs a cursory glance from a Parliamentary committee to approve, rather than full debates by both Houses. The official Parliamentary website states that in some cases both Houses of Parliament must expressly approve the measures, but states that Parliament’s “room for manoeuvre is limited” in Statutory Instruments.

“Parliament can accept or reject an SI, but cannot amend it,” the official guidance states.

“The minimum requirements could be amended by statutory instrument, but only with the approval of both Houses”
Writing to the MP for Middlesborough South and East Cleveland, Fallon still insisted that both the House of Commons and House of Lords would have to approve any changes to the six-day-a-week requirement on Royal Mail.

“As I said in my opening statement, the minimum requirements of the universal serviceare protected in legislation and can only be amended by affirmative resolutions in bothHouses. This means that the minimum requirements could be amended by statutory instrument, but only with the approval of both Houses,” the minister wrote.

Fallon added that the Government had “no plans to propose any such changes to the universal service”.

SIs

Statutory Instruments can be debated in the Houses of Parliament, but are often considered only by joint committees.

Parliamentary documents state that the last time the House of Commons rejected a Statutory Instrument was in 1979, while the last time the House of Lords rejected an SI was in 2000.

The same documents state that it is Parliamentary convention that the unelected House of Lords does not reject Statutory Instruments unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.

The Communication Workers Union, which is currently threatening strike action because it wants more protections for its members’ job security and working conditions under privatisation, responded to the Fallon letter with a wry “Quelle Surprise” last week.

[fishtank]

And so it begins.....

[Cut Off King]

Every postie throughout the land should bring this to all their customers attention, especially in rural & small business area's to get the public on our side BEFORE we go on strike & BEFORE the newspapers start to write anti union articles about the strike.

[24601]

Can't see this on BBC or Sky News and definately on Daily Fail on-line Surprise surprise

[UnhappyGremlin]

Well, that's blown out one or two of Brain Fury's arguments.

DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED FULL ACT OF PARLIAMENT OR FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES.

[Brain Fury]

Well, that's blown out one or two of Brain Fury's arguments.

DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED FULL ACT OF PARLIAMENT OR FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES.

"The minimum requirements could be amended by statutory instrument, but only with the approval of both Houses”. That sounds like it needs the approval of the UK Parliament to me. And the UK Parliament could only amend the USO within the scope of the standard laid down by EU regulations.

Keep trying.

[Lounge Lizard]

Well, that's blown out one or two of Brain Fury's arguments.

DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED FULL ACT OF PARLIAMENT OR FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES.

"The minimum requirements could be amended by statutory instrument, but only with the approval of both Houses”. That sounds like it needs the approval of the UK Parliament to me. And the UK Parliament could only amend the USO within the scope of the standard laid down by EU regulations.

Keep trying.

There's a massive difference between "FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES" and "the approval of the UK Parliament". Most MPs probably have no idea whatsoever about most of the SIs that are 'approved' by near empty chambers of both houses.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Well, that's blown out one or two of Brain Fury's arguments.

DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED FULL ACT OF PARLIAMENT OR FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES.

"The minimum requirements could be amended by statutory instrument, but only with the approval of both Houses”. That sounds like it needs the approval of the UK Parliament to me. And the UK Parliament could only amend the USO within the scope of the standard laid down by EU regulations.

Keep trying.

There's a massive difference between "FULL DEBATES BY BOTH HOUSES" and "the approval of the UK Parliament". Most MPs probably have no idea whatsoever about most of the SIs that are 'approved' by near empty chambers of both houses.

So, keep trying yourself, Brain Fury.
IF SI's were identical to laws being passed and full debates (primary legislation?), then they wouldn't exist, would they? There would be no need, as it would already be covered.

[freelunch]

so realistically, after privatisation RM would need only make a few political donations to ensure rubber-stamping of changes to current legislation?

[Lounge Lizard]

so realistically, after privatisation RM would need only make a few political donations to ensure rubber-stamping of changes to current legislation?

Yes, randomly listed below is some recent UK legislation brought in by Statutory Instrument.

The M42 Motorway (Junctions 5 - 4) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2433 UK Statutory Instruments
The A46 Trunk Road (Wanlip, Leicestershire) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2432 UK Statutory Instruments
The A14 Trunk Road (Harrington to Kettering, Northamptonshire) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2431 UK Statutory Instruments
The M45 Motorway (M1 Junction 17 to Thurlaston) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2430 UK Statutory Instruments
The M57 Motorway (Junction 2 Northbound and Southbound Exit and Entry Slip Roads) (The Tour of Britain Cycling Event) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2428
UK Statutory Instruments
The M1 Motorway (Junction 18) (Temporary Restriction of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2427 UK Statutory Instruments
The M5 Motorway (Junction 4 to Junction 3) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2426 UK Statutory Instruments
The A516 and A38 Trunk Roads (Southwest of Derby) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2425 UK Statutory Instruments
The M5 Motorway (Strensham Service Area) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2424 UK Statutory Instruments
The A500 Trunk Road (Hanchurch to Hanford, Staffordshire) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2423 UK Statutory Instruments
The M25 Motorway (Junctions 25 – 23) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2422 UK Statutory Instruments
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Remembrance Sunday) Regulations 20132013 No. 2421 UK Statutory Instruments
The M5 Motorway (Junction 11A Northbound Exit Slip Road) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) (Number 2) Order 20132013 No. 2419 UK Statutory Instruments
The M66 Motorway Junction 4 (M60 / M62 Junction 18 Carriageway) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2418 UK Statutory Instruments
The A38 Trunk Road (Exeter Race Course, Haldon (also known as Belvedere Cross) and Chudleigh, Devon) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2417 UK Statutory Instruments
The M53 Motorway (Junctions 5-2 Northbound Carriageway and Slip Roads) (Temporary Prohibition and Restriction of Traffic) Amendment Order 20132013 No. 2416 UK Statutory Instruments
The M5 Motorway (Junction 19 Northbound Exit Slip Road) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2415 UK Statutory Instruments
The M4 Motorway (Junction 15 – West of Junction 14) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2414 UK Statutory Instruments
The A27 and A24 Trunk Roads (Lancing Roundabout – Clapham Interchange) (Temporary Restriction and Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2413 UK Statutory Instruments
The A2 Trunk Road (Jubilee Way, Coastbound Carriageway) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 20132013 No. 2412 UK Statutory Instruments

So The Royal Mail Universal Service Obligation Reduction to five day delivery ( not Saturday ) Order 20987654 No. 2567 UK Statutory Instruments wouldn't look out of place and could go through unnoticed.

[Godric]

I have read some article online that Royal Mail intend to reduce postal staff by 40,000 over the next 5 years .... make of that what you want