mattjo1@talktalk.net wrote:
Rico has already gone to parliament to discuss it, it will go.
Please flesh out what you mean by "it will go".
The USO is a requirement of the Universal Service provider (i.e. Royal Mail). This is enshrined in law, the mechanism for changing the terms of the USO, is via OFCOM reviews, in which they can recommend to the secretary of state to change the minimum requirements. The 6 days a week service is part of this, as is the standard price for anywhere in the UK, and access to collection services 6 days a week.
Rico going to parliament doesn't do much at all. OFCOM is the regulator, it has a strict remit to maintain the sustainability of the universal service.
There is a way to get out of the USO completely, and that is to stop being the Universal Service provider, only in those circumstances could you say the USO would be "gone from Royal Mail".
I don't know how many times I will have to say it, but while we're a private company, we're still regulated like a public service. And function like one, we provide a basic public service, in which the minimum requirements are set by the Postal Services Act 2011.
Below is the process for changing those:
34Review of minimum requirements
(1)OFCOM may from time to time review the extent to which the provision made by section 31 reflects the reasonable needs of the users of postal services provided in the United Kingdom.
(2)A review under subsection (1) may, in particular, consider whether the requirements imposed by that section could be altered so as better to reflect those needs.
(3)OFCOM must send a copy of each review under subsection (1) to the Secretary of State.
(4)The Secretary of State may at any time direct OFCOM to carry out a review under subsection (1).
(5)Where OFCOM have carried out a review under subsection (1), the Secretary of State may by order amend section 31.
(6)The provision that may be made by an order under subsection (5) does not include the making of different provision in relation to different places in the United Kingdom.
(7)An order under subsection (5)—
(a)is subject to affirmative resolution procedure, and
(b)may include such amendments of this Part as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient in consequence of any provision made by the order.
And here are the minimum requirements as they stand today:
31Minimum requirements
This section sets out the services that must, as a minimum, be included in a universal postal service.
Requirement 1: delivery of letters or other postal packets
(1)
At least one delivery of letters every Monday to Saturday—
(a)
to the home or premises of every individual or other person in the United Kingdom, or
(b)
to such identifiable points for the delivery of postal packets as OFCOM may approve.
(2)
At least one delivery of other postal packets every Monday to Friday to the places within paragraph (1)(a) or (b).
(3)
The references in this requirement to the delivery of letters or other postal packets include the delivery of packets posted outside the United Kingdom.
Requirement 2: collection of letters or other postal packets
(1)
At least one collection of letters every Monday to Saturday from every access point in the United Kingdom used for the purpose of receiving postal packets, or any class of them, for onwards transmission in connection with the provision of a universal postal service.
(2)
At least one collection of other postal packets every Monday to Friday from every access point in the United Kingdom used for that purpose.
(3)
The references in this requirement to the onwards transmission of letters or other postal packets include their onwards transmission to places outside the United Kingdom.
Requirement 3: service at affordable prices in accordance with uniform public tariff
(1)
A service of conveying postal packets from one place to another by post (including the incidental services of receiving, collecting, sorting and delivering them) at affordable prices determined in accordance with a public tariff which is uniform throughout the United Kingdom.
(2)
The reference in this requirement to conveying postal packets from one place to another includes conveying them to places outside the United Kingdom.
Requirement 4: registered items service
A registered items service at affordable prices determined in accordance with a public tariff which is uniform throughout the United Kingdom.
Requirement 5: insured items service
An insured items service at affordable prices determined in accordance with a public tariff which is uniform throughout the United Kingdom.
Requirement 6: services to blind or partially sighted
The provision free of charge of such postal services as are specified in the universal postal service order to such descriptions of blind or partially sighted persons as are so specified.
Requirement 7: legislative petitions and addresses
A service of conveying free of charge qualifying legislative petitions and addresses.
