House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2010 - 11
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Other Bills before Parliament

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 9 December 2010
38

Postal Services Bill, continued

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Negatived on division  135

Clause  80,  page  49,  line  5,  at end insert ‘but not so as to reduce the extent of the

minimum requirements of the universal postal service.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  136

Clause  80,  page  49,  line  13,  at end insert ‘provided that—

(a)
the Secretary of State has first considered whether it is in the interest of

fair competition to modify or revoke any regulatory conditions

applicable to other postal operators; and

(b)
the Secretary of State has issued a statement that he considers that the

modification or revocation of regulatory conditions proposed is in the

interest of fair competition.’.

Mr Edward Davey

Agreed to  104

Clause  80,  page  49,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(12A)
The power conferred by subsection (2) or (5) may not be exercised at any time

after the postal administration order has ceased to be in force.’.

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

Clauses 81 to 89 Agreed to.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Negatived on division  69

Schedule  12,  page  128,  line  13,  at end insert ‘unless it can be identified that the

packet was incorrectly priced by—

(a)
the postal operator, or

(b)
the access point provider.’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Negatived on division  46

Schedule  12,  page  136,  line  28,  after ‘consult’, insert ‘and have regard to the

opinion of’.

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  47

Schedule  12,  page  136,  line  29,  leave out ‘it has’ and insert ‘that have been’.

Schedule Agreed to.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 9 December 2010
39

Postal Services Bill, continued

Clauses 90 and 91 Agreed to.

New Clauses

Royal Mail Holdings plc to be wholly owned by the Crown

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not selected  NC1

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
Royal Mail Holdings plc is wholly owned by the Crown.

(2)
The restrictions on dealings are outlined in sections 65 to 67 of the Postal Services

Act 2000.’.

Government to retain majority shareholding in Royal Mail Holdings plc and subsidiaries

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC2

To move the following Clause:—

‘The Government must retain a majority of shareholdings in Royal Mail Holdings

plc and its relevant subsidiaries.’.

Guarantee of inter-business agreement

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC3

To move the following Clause:—

‘Prior to any sale or transfer of a post office company an agreement must be

secured to guarantee the inter-business agreement between Post Office Ltd and

Royal Mail for a period of at least 10 years.’.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 9 December 2010
40

Postal Services Bill, continued

Guarantee of inter-business agreement (No 2)

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC4

To move the following Clause:—

‘Prior to any sale or transfer of a post office company an agreement must be

secured to guarantee the inter-business agreement between Post Office Ltd and

Royal Mail for a period of at least 15 years.’.

Restriction on universal service provider disposals

Mr Mike Weir

Not moved  NC5

To move the following Clause:—

‘Any company providing a universal postal service must, prior to selling any part

of its business to another entity, first report its intention to OFCOM who must

certify the sale does not in any way reduce the company’s ability to deliver its

universal service.’.

British Postal Museum Collection

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Negatived on division  NC6

To move the following Clause:—

‘Companies in the new postal market must continue to have regard to the integrity

and united custodianship of the British Postal Museum Collection as a social

obligation.’.

Universal service obligation

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC7

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The universal service provider must send to the Secretary of State each year a

report on its fulfilment of the universal service obligation.

(2)
The report must give details of—

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 9 December 2010
41

Postal Services Bill, continued

(a)
the range and extent of the service, including access points,

(b)
the utilisation of the service by its customers,

(c)
any surveys, or studies, of the use of the service, and

(d)
any exceptions in the service.

(3)
The report must give details of how it is adapting service provision to ensure it is

accessible to—

(a)
individuals living in rural areas,

(b)
individuals living in urban areas,

(c)
small and medium-sized enterprises,

(d)
disadvantaged individuals,

(e)
individuals with low incomes,

(f)
individuals with disabilities, and

(g)
elderly individuals.

(4)
The report must contain such relevant information as the Secretary of State may

from time to time require.

(5)
The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the report before Parliament.’.

Report on the future viability of the Post Office network

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC8

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
Before the time at which the first relevant disposal is made in relation to the Royal

Mail Company, the Secretary of State must report to Parliament on the future

viability of the post office network.

(2)
The report must include details of—

(a)
the inter business agreement, and

(b)
plans for any new forms of business for the Post Office network.’.

Annual report on Post Office network to devolved government bodies

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC9

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
A Post Office Company must send to the Secretary of State each year a report on

its network of post offices as operating within the territory of the devolved

government bodies.

(2)
The report will give details in an identical manner to Clause (Report on the future

viability of the Post Office network) above with the exception that these will cover

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 9 December 2010
42

Postal Services Bill, continued

the territory of the Great London Authority, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the

Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.

(3)
The report must contain such other information as the Secretary of State may

from time to time require.

(4)
The Secretary of State must ensure that a copy of the report is laid before each of

the appropriate devolved government bodies.’.

Protection for certain members and prospective members of the RMPP

Nia Griffith

Gordon Banks

Not called  NC10

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The Secretary of State may make regulations for the purpose of securing that—

(a)
no qualifying member of the RMPP is placed in a worse position by

reason of—

(i)
any winding up, in whole or in part, of the RMPP; or

(ii)
any amendment of the RMPP which results in benefits under that

scheme being reduced, or contributions by employees being

increased, and is made otherwise than in such circumstances as

may be prescribed;

(b)
no person who is an active member of the RMPP or who could be an

active member of the RMPP upon the attainment of a specified age or

upon election to be such a member is prevented from becoming entitled

to or continuing to participate in or acquire pension rights under the

RMPP by reason of any change of employer—

(i)
which does not affect his continuity of employment and is made

otherwise than in such circumstances as may be prescribed; and

(ii)
where his new employer either is a participant in the RMPP or is

wholly owned by one or more companies which, or each of

which, is such a participant; and

(c)
no person is placed in a worse position by reason of any change of

employer of that person which does not affect his continuity of

employment but prevents him from continuing to participate in or acquire

pension rights under the RMPP.’.

Mr Edward Davey

Agreed to

That certain written evidence already reported to the House be appended to the proceedings of

the Committee.

Bill, as amended, to be reported.



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