asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the Monopolies and Mergers report on the London postal services in relation to the consumer interest.

I welcome this thorough and valuable report which reveals a number of disturbing facts which have contributed to the poor postal services in London. These weaknesses will need to be remedied if the Post Office's standards of service are to be restored to an acceptable level. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry has discussed the report with the chairman of the Post Office Board; the Post Office is considering as a matter of urgency what action needs to be taken in the light of the report.