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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 July 2026. It was answered by Blair McDougall (Labour) on Thursday, 16 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of Royal Mail against its Universal Service Obligation targets during the last five years.

Answer

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to monitor Royal Mail’s compliance with its obligations relating to the secure handling of mail and compliance with the Universal Service Obligation. Ofcom requires Royal Mail, to take steps to minimise the potential for postal packets to be subject to loss, theft, damage and/or interference, and to regularly review, and where necessary update, the relevant policies.

Royal Mail is required to provide compensation to customers on a fair and reasonable basis, where applicable. Ofcom publishes annual reports reviewing the complaints and compensation data. These are available at: www.ofcom.org.uk/post/market-performance/monitoring_reports.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
17287
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Standards Royal Mail Universal service obligation
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk