asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he has any plans to suspend the monopoly of the Post Office in regard to the collection and delivery of letters; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he proposes to introduce legislation to introduce competitive services in the field of letter collection and delivery; and if he will make a statement.

Powers already exist in the relevant legislation to introduce competition in the provision of letter services through the granting of licences to permit activities which would otherwise infringe the Post Office's exclusive privilege in respect of letters, or through suspension of the privilege. There are no immediate plans to make further use of the powers.