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Postal Services Bill [HL]

I am grateful to the noble Lord for that explanation. It highlights the fact that we are now dealing with some important issues that are causing considerable concern to a wide range of people in this House, another place and outside. I hope that the Minister will be able to reassure us. It also gives me the opportunity to mention that the Business and Enterprise Committee in the other place has produced a report since our previous Committee sitting—it was published on 1 April—which raises a whole series of points that must give us all cause for reflection and, in various cases, concern. For example, the Select Committee in the other place pointed out in paragraph 88 of its report: ""The Communications Act 2003 requires Ofcom to have a Consumer Panel, advisory committees for different parts of the United Kingdom and on elderly and disabled persons. We are concerned about the extent to which Ofcom will be required to take into account the interests of vulnerable or marginal members of society in provision of postal services. Under the Bill their interests would have to be taken into account as part of Ofcom’s duty to review whether the universal service provider is meeting the reasonable needs of users, but members of particular groups may feel better protected if the requirement to address their needs is listed expressly on the face of the Bill, or if the Government can give an assurance that the advisory committees of the Communications Act 2003 will be expected to advise on postal services in addition to their existing tasks"." There we have the problem; it is causing concern elsewhere. I wonder whether in responding to Amendment 80 the Minister might tell us what the Government intend to do about that detailed report, in which many points are raised. We could, during all these debates and when we return on Report, ensure that all the concerns are raised, but it may be easier and quicker if the Government publish their response to the Select Committee report within the normal timescale, which I understand is within two months. If the Government could by the end of this month or during next month respond in detail with their answers to all the questions raised by what I feel is a very good report raising all sorts of issues that we should consider more carefully, that would not only assist our understanding in relation to the noble Lord’s amendment but probably shorten a lot of our other debates.