Postal services
All Standard Notes
10 Documents
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 23.04.2013 | VAT on postal services |
| At present public postal services are exempt from VAT, though the European Commission has argued that this hinders competition in postal services across the EU. This note looks at the prospects for reform. | |
| 12.10.2012 | Post Office numbers |
| Over the past 30 years the number of post offices in the UK has almost halved, although numbers have remained more stable over the last few years. This note provides a breakdown of the network size by year and by quarter. Also included is a breakdown of post offices by type and by region. | |
| 20.07.2012 | Postal Services: the Postal Services Act 2011 and recent developments |
| This note summarises the Labour Government's policies on postal services before outlining the Postal Services Act 2011 and subsequent developments. | |
| 14.05.2012 | VAT on postal packages |
| Imports into the EU worth 10 euros or less are VAT-exempt, though Member States may apply a higher threshold up to 22 euros - worth £18 - and the UK has done this. The Channel Islands lie outside the EU for VAT purposes, and there have been concerns that some UK retailers are exploiting low value consignment relief, as it is known, by selling goods over the internet VAT-free from subsidiaries based in Jersey and Guernsey. This note gives a short introduction to this issue. | |
| 12.04.2012 | Stamp prices |
| In March 2012, Royal Mail announced that stamp prices would rise from 30 April 2012 for both first and second class mail. The price of a standard first class stamp will rise from 46p to 60p. The price of a standard second class stamp will rise from 36p to 50p. | |
| 21.03.2012 | Royal Mail Pension Plan |
| This note looks at the development of the Royal Mail Pension Plan and at debates about how the funding deficit should be dealt with. | |
| 14.06.2011 | Parliamentary Material on Royal Mail and the Post Office from May 2010 |
| This note provides information and links to Parliamentary information on the Post Office and Royal Mail from May 2010. | |
| 16.05.2011 | Post Office Card Account |
| The Post Office Card Account (POCA) was launched in April 2003. In January 2006, it became apparent that the DWP would not be renewing the contract with Post Office Ltd, all but signalling an end to the POCA in its current form. The DWP subsequently undertook a procurement exercise for a successor to the POCA - the Government Card Account Banking Service. In a statement to the House on 13 November 2008, the Government decided to cancel the procurement exercise and award the new contract to Post Office Ltd to run initially from April 2010 and March 2015. | |
| 23.11.2010 | Parliamentary Material on Royal Mail to May 2010 |
| This note provides information and links to Parliamentary information on the Post Office and Royal Mail Post Offices to May 2010. | |
| 13.04.2010 | Railways: Royal Mail services, 2003- |
| This note explains the end of Royal Mail rail services in 2004 and the rapid resumption of services with a different freight company later the same year. |
All Research Papers
3 Documents
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 07.01.2011 | Postal Services Bill: Committee Stage Report Bill 120 of 2010-11 (as amended; Bill 78 as introduced) |
| The Postal Services Bill passed Second Reading in the Commons on 27 October. The Bill was considered in Public Bill Committee in 20 sittings, between 9 November and 9 December 2010. No Opposition amendments were agreed and only minor Government amendments were made to Clause 80 in Part 4 of the Bill. | |
| 25.10.2010 | Postal Services Bill [Bill 78 of 2010-11] |
| This Paper has been prepared for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons of the Postal Services Bill. The Bill has four main parts. Part 1 provides for changes to the ownership structure of Royal Mail Holdings plc and its subsidiaries (including Post Office Ltd). Part 2 provides for Royal Mail's historic pension deficit to be transferred to government. Part 3 provides for changes in the regulatory arrangements for postal services and Part 4 provides for a 'special administration regime' should there be a risk to the universal postal service from the possibility of the provider becoming insolvent. | |
| 11.02.2000 | Postal Services Bill (Bill 54 of 1999/2000) |
| Postal Services Bill (Bill 54 of 1999/2000). House of Commons Library Research Paper 00/18. |
