Committee publication · Correspondence · 27 March 2026
Letter to Communication Workers Union 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 the Communication Workers Union General Secretary following their 24 March evidence session on Royal Mail. The letter seeks detailed information on CWU-Royal Mail agreement on service improvements, management practices, employment status reform proposals, and Ofcom's regulatory role, with responses requested by 8 April.
Key findings
- Committee seeks clarity on whether CWU and Royal Mail agree on short- and long-term steps to improve service quality, and what disagreements remain
- Chair requests evidence of 'toxic managerial culture' at Royal Mail referenced in oral testimony, with assurance that confidential information can be provided
- Committee seeks CWU's position on Mr Křetínský's proposal for government-established 'level playing field' on employment status to enable Royal Mail to compete with gig economy parcel businesses
- Chair asks what further regulatory action Ofcom should take to establish and maintain acceptable universal postal service delivery
- Chair expresses concern about Secretary of State intervention in negotiations and questions whether CWU and Royal Mail can work effectively together on USO reform without further government intervention
Tone
ProceduralTopics
postal-serviceslabour-relationscompetition-regulationpublic-service-delivery
Key actors
Dave Ward, Communication Workers Union, Royal Mail, Martin Walsh, Liam Byrne MP, Business and Trade Committee, Ofcom, Mr Křetínský, Secretary of State
Notable line
“The British public, and the dedicated postal workers who serve them, deserve a Royal Mail that is a great place to work as well as reliably delivering a public service.”
Key Quotes
“This Committee intends to keep up its scrutiny of Royal Mail and Ofcom, to ensure that they are held to account on delivering the service the public rightly expects.”
“Given that the Secretary of State's intervention was seemingly required in the current negotiations, do you believe you will still be able to work effectively with Royal Mail to deliver USO reform without further Government intervention?”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗