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Postal Services Bill [HL]

This amendment seeks to explore another difference between the Bill and the Postal Services Act that went before. In the Act there was a power to amend the universal postal service; in the Bill, the minimum criteria laid down in Clause 29(3) are fixed in primary legislation. This is another opportunity to refer to the Select Committee report in another place, and I was greatly heartened by the resolve of the Minister—in extensive consultation with his colleagues, no doubt, particularly the Secretary of State—to bring forward the Government’s response to that report, if possible. I recognise that he did not make a firm commitment, but it was the set of his jaw that I so greatly admired when he said that he was a little concerned that the normal time limit for response might not be appropriate. I am grateful to him for agreeing to consider that. The Select Committee report highlighted the difference and questioned it. I would be interested to hear the Minister’s rationale for the removal of this power. I share with many of your Lordships the concern that, throughout the all the changes that Royal Mail is about to undergo under the Bill, a proper level of service must continue to be provided to the public. However, the idea of what a proper level of service actually comprises is not universally agreed upon. We have had one debate already on other possible criteria that should be included in the universal service, and more amendments are tabled that relate to the same issue. I am grateful to the Minister for clarifying the position over the postal services directive. As I understand it, however, it has now been amended twice and may well be modified again in the future. What we consider to be set in stone now could easily become irrelevant and inadequate in future, especially as the market continues to change in the way that the Secretary of State referred to before, as new technologies develop and new methods of communication spring up and are extended. I look forward to the Minister’s response, and I beg to move.