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Pembrokeshire (Royal Mail Database)

Let me come to the Royal Mail database because I think that the hon. Gentleman is talking about a slightly different thing from me. Delivery offices may be in different counties and so on. The postcode system was developed in the 1960s as a tool to help sort mail more efficiently. County names were dropped from essential information in 1996, when the Conservative party was in power. That is the root of the issue, because from that day—it is not just about Dyfed or Pembrokeshire; I suspect that other places are similarly affected—Royal Mail has not used the county name as an essential part of a postal address. There is nothing to prevent someone from using it in the address if they wish, but it is not essential for mail delivery. The postcode system has been very successful and serves its essential purpose well. Routes taken by postmen across the country are devised on the basis of the postcode address file. Can the situation be changed, or is it set in stone for ever and a day? The system can be changed. I have a suggestion that I hope will be constructive. In December 2001, Postcomm, the industry regulator, issued a consultation document seeking views on a code of practice to govern changes to Royal Mail's postcode address file. The code of practice was issued in March 2002 and was subject to a further review on its working a year later. In March 2004, Postcomm published its review, in which the code of practice was further amended to account for things such as customer-initiated changes to locality information. I understand that in recent months, Royal Mail, Postcomm and Consumer Focus, which took over Postwatch's job, have been revisiting the code's operation. They are considering what further changes are required to clarify the code of practice and bring it up to date. Royal Mail does not believe that significant changes are required. I am not saying that there will be extensive changes to postcode information—as I said, the system works pretty well—but Royal Mail believes that the code of practice would benefit from being clearer in a number of ways. One area not currently covered by the code of practice is county information, because county information is not required for postal purposes. The county does not form part of an official postal address, and changes to it are therefore not covered by the code of practice on changes to the postcode address file. The name "Dyfed" appears because the database still lists historical county details for customer reference. Those can include the formal postal county, the traditional county, the administrative county and so on. It is what is called an alias database, which can be used by third parties, but because Royal Mail does not use that information itself, it has not been changed since 1996. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman takes part in the new consultation on the code of practice for changing the postcode address file. I do not promise that the county names will be changed in the way that he would like, but he is open to make that suggestion. I do not promise it because Royal Mail, understandably, focuses on the efficiency of mail delivery and does not see it as its purpose to consider every secondary use of the postcode address file for things such as insurance, tourism and the other examples that he mentioned. Royal Mail acknowledges that county information is important to some customers and would like to find out more about the perceived importance of including it in postal addresses. That is why the issue is included in the current consultation on the code of practice. Along with other hon. Members, the hon. Gentleman has until 28 July to take part in the consultation that is being carried out by Postcomm. I encourage him to do so. It provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between Royal Mail's primary purpose for the postcode address file and the other purposes to which he referred. In conclusion, the question before us is what is the job of the postcode address file. From the point of view of the hon. Gentleman and some of his constituents, its job is to define accurately the county of Pembrokeshire. However, Royal Mail has not used the county name since 1996. I understand from my constituency experience why that might cause frustration locally. I suggest that he takes part in the consultation and argues his corner on the use of county names. Royal Mail will then have to decide whether to change from using the postcode address file purely as a tool for the delivery of mail to using it for other purposes. Sitting suspended.