111

House of Commons

Thursday 2 December 2010

Public Bill Committee

New Amendments handed in are marked thus

Amendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance

Postal Services Bill

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Note

The Amendments have been arranged in accordance with the Order of the

Committee [9 November].

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

74

Clause  28,  page  15,  line  14,  at end insert ‘, and OFCOM shall include Post Office

branches as access points.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

75

Clause  28,  page  15,  line  15,  after ‘receptacle’, insert ‘, Post Office Branch’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

76

Clause  29,  page  15,  line  28,  at end insert ‘ and OFCOM will ensure that any such

order or modification does not immediately disadvantage—

(a)	individuals living in rural areas,

(b)	individuals living in urban areas,

(c)	small and medium enterprises,

(d)	disadvantaged individuals,

(e)	individuals with low income,

(f)	individuals with disabilities, and

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

112

Postal Services Bill, continued

(g)	elderly individuals.’.

Mr Mike Weir

41

Clause  29,  page  15,  line  29,  leave out subsection (4) and insert—

‘(4)	The Secretary of State must specify the terms of a universal service order prior to

OFCOM assuming powers to regulate postal services, which must be laid before

Parliament at least one month prior to the day on which the provisions of this Part

come generally into force; and thereafter OFCOM must carry out an assessment

of the matters detailed in subsection (3) before the end of the period of 18 months

beginning with the day on which the provisions of this Part come generally into

force.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

77

Clause  29,  page  15,  line  31,  leave out ‘before the end of the period of 18 months

beginning with’ and insert ‘not before 5 years after’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

56

Clause  30,  page  16,  line  3,  after ‘letters’, insert ‘and other postal packets’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

57

Clause  30,  page  16,  leave out lines 8 and 9.

Mr Mike Weir

7

Clause  30,  page  16,  line  8,  leave out ‘Friday’ and insert ‘Saturday’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

58

Clause  30,  page  16,  line  14,  after ‘letters’, insert ‘and other postal packets’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

59

Clause  30,  page  16,  leave out lines 19 to 21.

Mr Mike Weir

8

Clause  30,  page  16,  line  20,  leave out ‘Friday’ and insert ‘Saturday’.

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

113

Postal Services Bill, continued

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

78

Clause  30,  page  16,  line  33,  at end insert—

‘Requirement 3A: Access to postal services via the Post Office Branches

Utilising a Post Office Company, a number of Post Office Brances consistent with

regulations to be laid before Parliament by the Secretary of State.’.

Mr Mike Weir

9

Clause  32,  page  18,  line  8,  leave out sub-paragraph (b).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

79

Clause  32,  page  18,  line  9,  at end insert ‘and are so endorsed by regulation placed

before Parliament by the Secretary of State.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

45

Clause  33,  page  18,  line  16,  after ‘may’, insert ‘after five years’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

60

Clause  33,  page  18,  line  18,  at end insert ‘paying particular regard to the needs of—

(a)	vulnerable consumers,

(b)	rural consumers,

(c)	small and medium enterprises.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

61

Clause  33,  page  18,  line  21,  at end insert—

‘(2A)

When conducting any review OFCOM must consult—

(a)	consumer representatives, and

(b)	representatives of small and medium enterprises.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

80

Clause  33,  page  18,  line  30,  at end insert ‘, providing the Secretary of State has

previously ensured that consultation has been undertaken with the devolved, territorial

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

114

Postal Services Bill, continued

bodies of Government as are appropriate to the provision.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

81

Clause  34,  page  18,  line  38,  leave out ‘may designate one or more postal operators’

and insert ‘must designate a postal operator’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

82

Clause  34,  page  18,  line  40,  leave out subsection (2).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

83

Clause  34,  page  18,  line  42,  leave out subsection (3).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

84

Clause  34,  page  19,  line  6,  leave out subsection (4).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

85

Clause  34,  page  19,  line  17,  leave out paragraph (b).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

86

Clause  34,  page  19,  line  20,  at end insert ‘, subject to the Secretary of State placing

these regulations before Parliament for approval.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

51

Clause  35,  page  19,  line  35,  leave out ‘may impose a designated USP condition on

a universal service provider’ and insert ‘must impose a designated USP condition on all

designated universal service providers’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

87

Clause  35,  page  19,  line  39,  leave out ‘or part of a universal postal service’.

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

115

Postal Services Bill, continued

Mr Mike Weir

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

10

Clause  35,  page  19,  line  40,  leave out ‘or in a specified area of the United

Kingdom’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

89

Clause  35,  page  19,  line  44,  at end insert ‘including those provided by a Post Office

Company,’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

52

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  9,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

53

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  9,  leave out ‘only’.

Mr Mike Weir

11

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  16,  leave out ‘seek to’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

90

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  22,  at end insert ‘including the need for future investment

and service provision.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

54

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  23,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

91

Clause  35,  page  20,  line  24,  leave out subsection (7).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

92

Clause  36,  page  20,  line  38,  at end insert—

‘(c)	to publish annually an independently audited performance report

concerning each of the devolved government territories.’.

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

116

Postal Services Bill, continued

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

93

Clause  36,  page  20,  line  43,  leave out from ‘accuracy’ to end of line 45.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

106

Clause  37,  page  21,  line  36,  leave out ‘and’ and insert ‘provided in either case that

such action would not be likely to adversely affect the ability of the provider to provide

the universal postal service in accordance with the service standards specified in the

universal postal service order’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

95

Clause  37,  page  21,  line  37,  at end insert—

‘(4A)

Any USP access condition must—

(a)	be commercially negotiated, and

(b)	not undermine the universal service.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

107

Clause  37,  page  21,  line  38,  leave out subsections (5) to (7).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

115

Schedule  3,  page  65,  leave out lines 17 to 37.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

116

Schedule  3,  page  65,  leave out lines 38 to 41.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

117

Schedule  3,  page  66,  leave out lines 1 to 10.

Public Bill Committee: 2 December 2010

117

Postal Services Bill, continued

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

70

Clause  38,  page  22,  line  33,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

108

Clause  40,  page  24,  line  10,  at end insert ‘OFCOM shall exercise its power under

subsection (1) if it considers that the provision of a service within the scope of the

universal postal service by a person other than the designated universal service provider

may impede the ability of the designated universal service provider to comply with its

universal service obligations.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

118

Clause  42,  page  25,  line  35,  leave out subsection (10).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

119

Clause  43,  page  26,  line  25,  leave out from ‘burden’ to end of line 26.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

120

Clause  43,  page  26,  line  27,  leave out subsections (9) and (10).

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

109

Clause  43,  page  26,  line  36,  at end insert—

‘(9A)

OFCOM may not make a procurement determination before the end of the period

of 10 years beginning with the day on which this section comes into force.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

110

Clause  43,  page  26,  line  46,  at end add—

‘(14)

A direction under subsection (12) must specify that a minimum of three years’

notice be provided to a designated provider before any other operator may

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Revised 2 December 2010