ROYAL MAIL AND UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION

That this House welcomes the commitment from the Labour Party in its General Election Manifesto 2005 that it will review the impact on the Royal Mail of market liberalisation, which is being progressively introduced under the Postal Services Act 2000 and which allows alternative carriers to the Royal Mail to offer postal services; notes that the manner in which competition has been introduced has resulted in Royal Mail losing 40 per cent. of its high revenue access products in three years and that this rate of losses will raise a question over the financing of the Universal Service Obligation by Royal Mail; further notes that there are options which the review can examine to support the Universal Delivery Service Obligation, such as a support fund or a supplement to the access price charged for competitors who currently receive the benefit of Royal Mail's Universal Service without paying for it; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to ensure that the promised review is begun without delay.