| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Mar 2008 : Column 1240W—continued
Royal Mail: Finance
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail on how much it receives in payment for each item of mail private businesses post using downstream access. [194256]
Mr. McFadden: As the Department with responsibility for the Government’s shareholding, BERR Ministers and officials meet Royal Mail on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. Access by other companies to the Royal Mail network is a matter for commercial negotiation between Royal Mail, the company concerned and, if need be, Postcomm. Royal Mail’s Report and Accounts for 2006-07 stated that the average revenue per item for delivering access mail was 13p.
Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make it his policy to amend the universal service obligation of Royal Mail to include small and medium-sized enterprises, with particular reference to a guaranteed early delivery. [194219]
Mr. McFadden: The Government considers the maintenance of a universal postal service to be of the highest importance. Under the terms of the Postal Services Act 2000, the universal service is a matter for the postal regulator (Postcomm), which has the primary statutory duty to ensure the provision of a universal postal service at an affordable uniform tariff. Postcomm has the responsibility for defining the requirements of the universal service obligation in consultation with users.
An independent review of the postal services market was announced on 17 December 2007. It has three terms of reference, one of which is to consider how to maintain the universal service obligation in the light of trends and market developments. The review will provide postal carriers and other interested parties with a formal opportunity to contribute their thinking on this and on the future of the postal services market in the UK.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the ability of Postcomm to (a) protect and (b) sustain the universal service obligation of Royal Mail; and if he will make a statement. [194220]
Mr. McFadden: The Government considers the maintenance of a universal postal service to be of the highest importance.
Under the terms of the Postal Services Act 2000, Postcomm's primary statutory duty is to ensure the provision of a universal postal service at an affordable uniform tariff. Postcomm's decisions relating to Royal Mail and the wider market are all taken in the context of this duty.
The regulator is accountable directly to Parliament through the Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Small Businesses: Morecambe and Lunesdale
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what support his Department makes available to start-up businesses in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. [194778]
Mr. McFadden: Support is available to all individuals seeking to start up in business within this constituency through the Business Link North West Universal Service. In addition, in line with the priorities of the North West Regional Economic Strategy 2006, there is additional support to individuals in under represented groups—women, disabled and members of BME communities—through the North West Development Agency Business Start Up Project.
During the current financial year the Business Link North West Universal Service has assisted 343 businesses and individuals from the area; while the Agency’s Start Up Project has assisted 14 businesses to commence trading and is currently working with a further 32 individuals who are considering starting a business.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Crime
Lynne Featherstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under 18 year olds were (a) arrested, (b) cautioned and (c) prosecuted
for alcohol-related offences in each London borough in the last five years for which data is available; and if she will make a statement. [183235]
Mr. Coaker
[holding answer 1 February 2008]: The information requested covering cautions and prosecutions for offences of (a) Drunkenness, (b) Drunkenness with aggravation, (c) Offences against the licensing acts, (d) other offences against intoxicating liquor laws, (e) selected motoring offences in Greater London is
provided in the following table. Data broken down by London borough is not held by the Ministry of Justice.
The arrests collection undertaken by the Ministry of Justice provides data on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), by age group, gender, ethnicity, and main offence group only, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, etc. More detailed data about specific offences do not form part of this collection.
Alcoholic Drinks: Prosecutions
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for sale of alcohol to a drunk person have been pursued in each criminal justice area in each of the last 10 years; and how many resulted in conviction. [180410]
Mr. Coaker: The following table provides information on the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for sale of alcohol to a drunken person, under section 141 of the Licensing Act 2003. The data has been broken down by police force area.
Data is provided for 2004 to 2006 only as prior to the Licensing Act 2003 coming into force, data for the offence was not held to the level of detail required.
In addition to court proceedings, the offence was added to the penalty notice for disorder (PND) scheme on 4 April 2005. Data has been provided for the number issued by police force area in 2005 and 2006.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |