Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:19 pm on 17 July 2019.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. Since the privatisation of Royal Mail, there's been a pressure on the company to find profits. The Communication Workers Union, of which I'm a member, has raised concerns that the universal service obligation, which guarantees an equal six-day service to all in the UK, might be reviewed. To many who are isolated and lonely, postal workers can be one of the only few regular points of contact, especially in rural areas. Even in cities such as Newport, local posties are often the first to notice if something is wrong and are very much appreciated by their local communities. The universal service obligation is a fair and much valued service. If this is taken away, there is a fear that the link that community postmen provide will be lost. Can the Deputy Minister assure me that the Welsh Government will be making representations to Royal Mail to highlight the value it puts on the equal six-day service, ensuring that it does all it can to protect the role of the community posties?