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Postal Services Bill [HL]

I also support my noble friend in this amendment or something very like it. I declare an interest as the chair of Consumer Focus which inherited the duties of Postwatch. I also want to emphasise that I support the broad thrust of Part 3 of the Bill. I support putting the universal service obligation on the face of the Bill in unequivocal terms. There were fears that that would not be done. It ensures that the individual or business expects the same service on the same terms and at the same price whether they are in the furthest reaches of Fermanagh or based in inner London. I greatly welcome that. I also welcome the transfer of responsibility—the abolition of Postcomm—for reasons that my noble friend hinted at and has previously expounded on. Postcomm’s tradition and attitude to consumers has not always been of the best, whereas Ofcom has a positive reputation in this regard, at least in general terms. I draw attention to a recent publication by Consumer Focus which rated Ofcom as one of the better regulators in relation to consumer interest. No doubt the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Carter, who has just joined us, will take some credit for that in one of his earlier capacities. So I welcome the general direction of this part of the Bill. However, two things are missing. One is that unless we say otherwise, the interests of consumers can be interpreted as the interests of the mainstream or average consumer. We need to make it clear that the interests of vulnerable consumers—whether geographically vulnerable or vulnerable because of their personal circumstances—need to be taken especially into account in Ofcom’s deliberations. In general, I am happy that the details of the regulatory framework are left to Ofcom, but it needs to be clear in the Bill that that consideration of vulnerable consumers is an obligation on the regulator. I hope that the Government would indicate through my noble friend that they are prepared to move in that direction. The other point is that, despite the stipulations on the universal service obligation in the Bill, it will always be possible for the Government to alter or interpret it. It is very important that it is clear in the Bill, or at least in a ministerial commitment, that any change in the universal service order contemplated would be subject to consultation with consumer organisations including Consumer Focus—I repeat my interest there—and with representatives of organisations that purport to talk for small businesses, to which my three noble colleagues have already referred. We need the double guarantee that the vulnerable consumer will be given special attention by the new regulator and that any change in the USO will be spelt out and subject to clear consultation. Both of those things need to be somewhere in the Bill.