Committee publication · Correspondence · 19 May 2026
Letter to Royal Mail relating to mail delivery performance, 30 April 2026
From: Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry: Royal Mail
Summary
The Business and Trade Committee chair writes to Royal Mail's CEO requesting detailed information on mail delivery performance, contingency procedures, and late delivery data. The letter follows Royal Mail's April 2026 correspondence and seeks clarification on oversight gaps, particularly regarding Royal Mail's refusal to share late delivery figures with Ofcom, citing commercial confidentiality.
Key findings
- Royal Mail has refused to consent to Ofcom sharing absolute numbers of letters delivered late by category, citing commercial confidentiality—concerning given Royal Mail's monopoly status as universal postal provider.
- CWU reports contingency measures are 'likely applied in hundreds of workplaces every day', suggesting mail prioritisation is widespread rather than marginal.
- Committee seeks breakdown of contingency prioritisation guidance categories as both absolute numbers and percentages, and methodology for Royal Mail's claim contingency applies to 'less than 10% of addresses a day'.
- Committee welcomes Royal Mail–CWU agreement on USO reform and equalisation for new entrants, but remains concerned about accountability for late delivery.
Tone
CriticalTopics
postal-servicesregulationaccountabilitymonopoly
Key actors
Alistair Cochrane, Liam Byrne, Royal Mail, Communication Workers Union, Ofcom, Business and Trade Committee
Notable line
“Royal Mail is the regulated universal postal provider and operates a virtual monopoly over letter delivery.”
Key Quotes
“This is obviously concerning, given that Royal Mail is the regulated universal postal provider and operates a virtual monopoly over letter delivery.”
“… the service is now so chaotic and disrupted across the country that it is likely that ' contingency ' measures are being applied in hundreds of workplaces every day ".”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗