93

House of Commons

Tuesday 30 November 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

42

Clause  18,  page  10,  line  16,  at end insert—

‘(2A)

An order under this section must not include any provision that permits the

winding-up of the RMPP.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

96

Clause  18,  page  10,  line  16,  at end insert—

‘(2A)

Before making an order under this section the Secretary of State must obtain the

consent of the trustee of the RMPP.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

97

Clause  19,  page  10,  line  28,  leave out subsection (3) and insert—

‘(3)	“The relevant pensions provision” means the provision for the payment of

pensions or other benefits which is contained in the RMPP or under a new public

scheme or both, and includes pensions or other benefits payable—

(a)	in the event of early retirement on the grounds of ill-health or otherwise,

Public Bill Committee: 30 November 2010

94

Postal Services Bill, continued

(b)	in the event of a contingency, or

(c)	upon the exercise of a discretion by the trustee of the RMPP under the

rules of the RMPP.

(3A)	If the amount of a pension or other benefit is calculated by reference to a person’s

remuneration at the date of leaving the RMPP (by reason of death, retirement or

otherwise), his remuneration for the purpose of establishing all of his relevant

pensions provision shall be taken to be his remuneration at the date of leaving the

RMPP (by reason of death, retirement or otherwise), and not his remuneration at

the date of the exercise of the power to make an order.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

98

Clause  19,  page  10,  line  31,  leave out ‘(3)’ and insert ‘(2)’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

99

Clause  20,  page  11,  line  15,  at end insert—

‘(1A)

Before making an order under this section the Secretary of State must obtain the

consent of the trustee of the RMPP to the selection of the assets to be transferred.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

100

Clause  22,  page  12,  line  18,  at end insert—

‘(5A)

Regulations shall be made under this section that shall ensure that, for the purpose

of any relevant tax, benefits payable or prospectively payable under—

(a)	the RMPP and

(b)	a new public scheme

are treated as benefits payable under a single pension scheme.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

101

Clause  24,  page  13,  line  7,  after ‘RMPP’, insert ‘, such representatives of members

of the RMPP as appear to him to be appropriate’.

Public Bill Committee: 30 November 2010

95

Postal Services Bill, continued

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

71

Clause  27,  page  14,  line  30,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘will’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

72

Clause  27,  page  14,  line  31,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘will’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

40

Clause  28,  page  15,  line  4,  at end insert ‘and to facilitate this, the current funding

agreement of Postcomm in respect of regulating postal services will be transferred in its

entirety to Ofcom.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

73

Clause  28,  page  15,  leave out subsection (3).

Mr Mike Weir

6

Clause  28,  page  15,  line  10,  at end add—

‘(c)	the needs of small business users in rural and remote areas.’.

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,

Public Bill Committee: 30 November 2010

96

Postal Services Bill, continued

(d)	disadvantaged individuals,

(e)	individuals with low income,

(f)	individuals with disabilities, and

(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: 30 November 2010

97

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: 30 November 2010

98

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: 30 November 2010

99

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.’.

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Revised 30 November 2010