Red letter day for MSPS' mail
THE Scottish Parliament has scrapped controversial plans to privatise its internal postal system after an outcry from MSPs.
The service, which is currently operated by the Royal Mail, is instead to be taken over by the parliament itself.
The existing Royal Mail employees working at the parliament will be offered the chance to stay on and become part of the parliament's own staff.
There were widespread protests earlier this year when it was claimed an English firm, Business Post, based in Slough, was poised to win the GBP 1 million contract to deliver MSPs' mail.
But now presiding officer George Reid has announced a change of heart.
In a letter to MSPs, he said: "The corporate body has decided the internal messenger service currently provided by the Royal Mail should be brought in-house when the parliament moves to Holyrood.
"This is similar to practice at Westminster and the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies.
"Parliament officials will be working closely with the Royal Mail and its union representatives to put in place the necessary arrangements for the transfer of this service."
And Mr Reid ended his letter by voicing the gratitude of all MSPs to the Royal Mail staff based at the parliament for the "much valued, personal service they provide".
The Royal Mail will continue providing the service until the move to the new parliament building.
Eight postal workers are based at the parliament and will now have the chance to join the parliament staff.
Derek Durkin, Edinburgh branch secretary for the Communication Workers Union, said they would have preferred the Royal Mail to have retained the contract, but moving the service in-house was the "next best" option.
He said: "Our job now is to make sure our members are given the right to transfer with the work.
"The interesting thing is the parliament is keen for that to happen, which shows the esteem in which they hold our members."
Labour MSP Maureen Macmillan has tabled a motion welcoming the transfer, congratulating the Royal Mail employees for the service they have provided to MSPs and staff since 1999, and urging the corporate body to consider improving the terms and conditions of the mail staff.
It has already been signed by fellow Labour MSPs Christine May and Wendy Alexander and Nationalists Roseanna Cunningham, Brian Adam and Adam Ingram.
Colin Fox, Scottish Socialist MSP for the Lothians, welcomed the mail U-turn and said he hoped the staff would end up with better pay and conditions.
He said: "We would be strongly opposed to the idea the service should go to a private company.
"The mail staff do an outstanding job. They provide a first-class service. They're sociable people and they do an efficient job.
"Now they will no longer be outsiders, but part of the parliament staff. We would like to see the catering staff brought in-house as well."
The pay and conditions of the staff who transfer will be protected under employment legislation.
A Scottish Parliament spokesman said the contract with the Royal Mail covered the full length of the parliament's stay in its temporary accommodation at The Mound and George IV Bridge. The new contract would start once MSPs move to the new building at Holyrood.
The Royal Mail said it was disappointed the contract they had operated for the past four years had not been renewed.
A spokeswoman said: "We have just been advised we have not been awarded the mail and messenger service.
"We are disappointed we are not going to be doing that in the new building.
