Committee publication · Correspondence · 27 March 2026
Letter to Ofcom relating to the Committee's evidence session on Royal Mail, 27 March 2026
From: Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry: Royal Mail
Summary
The Business and Trade Committee Chair writes to Ofcom's CEO following a 24 March evidence session on Royal Mail, requesting detailed information on Ofcom's regulatory oversight of Royal Mail's deteriorating service performance. The letter raises concerns about late mail delivery, alleged parcel prioritisation, and questions the credibility of Royal Mail's claims, requesting answers on late delivery statistics, inspection practices, plan assessment criteria, and regulatory budget allocation by 8 April.
Key findings
- Royal Mail's service level is described as 'unacceptable', with constituents waiting weeks for mail and forecasts showing hundreds of millions of letters still being delivered late despite repeated Ofcom fines.
- An improvement plan demanded by Ofcom in October 2025 is now five months overdue.
- The Committee has received whistleblower testimony contradicting Royal Mail management's claims about parcel prioritisation being contingency-driven.
- Ofcom's inspection regime is questioned: the letter asks whether Ofcom undertakes unannounced inspections and how many have occurred in 2025-26.
- Concerns raised about how Royal Mail's improvement plan will be assessed for credibility, monitored for implementation, and what enforcement action follows failure to meet targets.
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Melanie Dawes, Ofcom, Royal Mail, Liam Byrne MP, Business and Trade Committee, Daniel Kretinsky, Natalie Black
Notable line
“The current level of service delivered by Royal Mail is unacceptable and as Royal Mail's regulator, Ofcom has a responsibility to help ensure this does not persist.”
Key Quotes
“The current level of service delivered by Royal Mail is unacceptable and as Royal Mail's regulator, Ofcom has a responsibility to help ensure this does not persist.”
“I welcome Ofcom's demand that Royal Mail produce a credible improvement plan. However, this plan, which you described as "urgent" in October 2025, is now five months late.”
“Since Tuesday's hearing the Committee has been inundated with testimony from Royal Mail whistleblowers that that the evidence provided by Business and Trade Committee House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA CommonsBTC@parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219 8586 X: @CommonsBTC …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗