Liberal Democrats support for preservation of Universal Service Obligation

Lib Dem MP Robert Smith voices Lib Dem support for preservation of Universal Service Obligation at debate at Westminster Hall.

Speaking on a Lib Dem motion of the Universal Service Obligation in Westminster Hall, MP Alistair Carmichael pointed out the importance of a debate on Universal Service Obligation “following the recent application by the Royal Mail for zonal pricing for bulk mail, on which consultation with Postcomm has just concluded.”

Mr Carmichael expressed his concern that if Royal Mail’s application for zonal charging for bulk mail is approved, bulk mail will be removed from the universal service.

He suggested: “What is left will hardly be worth the name. It will hardly be universal and it will barely be a service.”

Lib Dem MP Danny Alexander also expressed his concern that the government, and Postcomm, are pressing ahead with the opening up of the mail market without first ensuring that there are adequate safeguards in place to protect the universal service.

Lib Dem MP Alan Reid further explained “the proposals would clearly have an unfair impact on recipients of mail who live in remote rural areas. Although they would perhaps not be buying the stamps, it is quite obvious that utility companies, banks and magazine distributors are likely to increase their charges to those customers, as they will want to recover the charges.”

Lib Dem Sir Robert Smith, speaking for the Liberal Democrats, made clear that “the present situation has come about because of the opening up of the letter market, which was the result of European Union regulations and the decision to open up the whole of the European market-albeit not at the pace that it is happening in the UK.”

Pointing out the “importance of the service that Royal Mail provides to all constituents”, Mr Smith warned that the service needed to be “preserved, protected and enhanced, not chipped away at and reduced.”