My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, puts his case always with such reasonableness that it makes it so much harder to resist what he is saying—harder but not impossible, I am afraid, because, as he acknowledged, what can start off as speedy and cheap when you are creating new...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, puts his case always with such reasonableness that it makes it so much harder to resist what he is saying—harder but not impossible, I am afraid, because, as he acknowledged, what can start off as speedy and cheap when you are creating new...

My Lords, my response to the noble Lord will probably test my powers of persuasion. It is quite a challenge, but I am up for it. The amendments seek to limit Ofcom’s powers to regulate in respect of services which do not currently require a licence. The amendments are not...

My Lords, my response to the noble Lord will probably test my powers of persuasion. It is quite a challenge, but I am up for it. The amendments seek to limit Ofcom’s powers to regulate in respect of services which do not currently require a licence. The amendments are not...

My Lords, Amendment 62 aims to apply the affirmative resolution procedure to any further regulations dealing with the scheme for the assessment, collection and distribution of contributions to a compensation fund. This would require Parliament formally to approve any proposals put forward by Ofcom before it could create such a...

My Lords, Amendment 62 aims to apply the affirmative resolution procedure to any further regulations dealing with the scheme for the assessment, collection and distribution of contributions to a compensation fund. This would require Parliament formally to approve any proposals put forward by Ofcom before it could create such a...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Christopher for his references to my grandfather. Indeed I have reflected on the approach that he took to public ownership and I suppose that in a sense I continue in his tradition by sponsoring a Bill, which your Lordships are considering, that...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Christopher for his references to my grandfather. Indeed I have reflected on the approach that he took to public ownership and I suppose that in a sense I continue in his tradition by sponsoring a Bill, which your Lordships are considering, that...

My Lords, I shall respond first to the noble Baroness, Lady Byford. The Government announced in November that the Post Office would be awarded the successor contract for the Post Office card account and that this will run from 2010 to 2015, with the possibility of a two-year extension beyond...

My Lords, I shall respond first to the noble Baroness, Lady Byford. The Government announced in November that the Post Office would be awarded the successor contract for the Post Office card account and that this will run from 2010 to 2015, with the possibility of a two-year extension beyond...

My Lords, this amendment looks to introduce requirements for Government to report to the House on the issue and disposal of shares or rights in the Royal Mail company and the ability of the private sector partner to meet certain selection criteria. As I said during debate in Committee, I...

My Lords, this amendment looks to introduce requirements for Government to report to the House on the issue and disposal of shares or rights in the Royal Mail company and the ability of the private sector partner to meet certain selection criteria. As I said during debate in Committee, I...

My Lords, the practice is so continuous that it would be invidious of me to select one example of what happens. I quite understand that when a workforce feels that it is being challenged or pushed to modernise or bring about change by the management, and feels that the management...

My Lords, the practice is so continuous that it would be invidious of me to select one example of what happens. I quite understand that when a workforce feels that it is being challenged or pushed to modernise or bring about change by the management, and feels that the management...

Amendment 22 22: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Employee share schemes The requirement that a Royal Mail company be publicly owned does not prevent the establishment of an employee share scheme provided the Crown continues to own (directly or indirectly) more than half of the company." Amendment...

Amendment 22 22: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Employee share schemes The requirement that a Royal Mail company be publicly owned does not prevent the establishment of an employee share scheme provided the Crown continues to own (directly or indirectly) more than half of the company." Amendment...

Amendment 23 23: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Annual report on post office network (1) A Post Office company must send to the Secretary of State each year a report on its network of post offices. (2) The report must give details of— (a) the number and...

Amendment 23 23: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Annual report on post office network (1) A Post Office company must send to the Secretary of State each year a report on its network of post offices. (2) The report must give details of— (a) the number and...

Clause 36 sets out when a service is within the scope of the universal service. First, a service within the scope of the universal service is one that falls within the description of a service set out in the universal postal service order made by Ofcom under Clause 29, as...

Clause 36 sets out when a service is within the scope of the universal service. First, a service within the scope of the universal service is one that falls within the description of a service set out in the universal postal service order made by Ofcom under Clause 29, as...

That is correct.

That is correct.

Before I address the original amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Razzall, perhaps I may respond to one thing that he said. He suggested that we were divesting the Post Office but, just to be clear, the two businesses are not being separated. Post Office Ltd will remain in...

Before I address the original amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Razzall, perhaps I may respond to one thing that he said. He suggested that we were divesting the Post Office but, just to be clear, the two businesses are not being separated. Post Office Ltd will remain in...

I have already explained what Clause 36 does: it sets out when a service is within the scope of the universal service. The amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, would require services to meet both subsection (1)(b) and subsection (1)(c) to be within the scope of the universal service....

I have already explained what Clause 36 does: it sets out when a service is within the scope of the universal service. The amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, would require services to meet both subsection (1)(b) and subsection (1)(c) to be within the scope of the universal service....

I am sure that we all extend our sympathy to the noble Lord, Lord Razzall, for the terrible injury that he has incurred in pursuit of a very good cause. I am delighted to see that he remains ready to do anything to prevent being beaten by the other place....

I am sure that we all extend our sympathy to the noble Lord, Lord Razzall, for the terrible injury that he has incurred in pursuit of a very good cause. I am delighted to see that he remains ready to do anything to prevent being beaten by the other place....

Amendments 89C and 89D add specific matters to what Ofcom must take into account before coming to the view that a service is interchangeable from the point of view of users, with a service set out in the universal postal services order: namely, the characteristics of the services, including added-value...

Amendments 89C and 89D add specific matters to what Ofcom must take into account before coming to the view that a service is interchangeable from the point of view of users, with a service set out in the universal postal services order: namely, the characteristics of the services, including added-value...