To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the impact of the manner in which Postcomm has imposed the universal service obligation on the profitability of (a) Royal Mail and (b) Royal Mail's competitors; and what comparison he has made with the process of liberalisation in other EU countries. (158756)

Assuring the provision of a universal service and liberalising the postal market are matters for Postcomm, the Postal Services Commission. The Regulator regularly reviews universal service provision and market conditions in both the UK and other EU member states. Its reports are made publicly available on its website at:

http:// www.psc.gov.uk.