asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now seek to amend the Post Office Act 1953, and other legislation as necessary, to allow competition in the delivery of letters and other postal services.

No. To abolish the letter monopoly would enable private operators to cream off the more profitable routes, leaving the Post Office with its obligation to cope with the remainder at disproportionately high cost. The monopoly does not extend to the carriage of parcels.