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Royal Mail

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 18 December 2025UIN 100195

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Royal Mail meets its statutory service standards and provides accurate reporting on delivery performance.

Answered by Blair McDougall

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider.

Ofcom has a primary duty to secure the provision of a universal postal service, having regard to its financial sustainability and efficiency. On 10 July this year, Ofcom announced changes to the universal postal service obligation intended to have a significant positive impact on the financial sustainability of the universal service and support its continued provision.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to monitor Royal Mail’s service standards with powers to take enforcement action where failures are identified without sufficient justification. Ofcom requires Royal Mail to publish its quality of service performance data on a quarterly basis.

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