Recommendation 1

It is clear to us that, despite statements in evidence on 17 January by Simon Thompson, the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Mail, PDA data has been used to track the speed at which postal workers deliver their post and, subsequently, for performance management, both explicitly in disciplinary cases and as a tool by local managers to dissuade staff from stopping during their rounds. Based on the evidence, it seems clear to us that, whether intentionally or inadvertently, Mr Thompson misled the Committee when he first gave evidence by giving an answer which was not wholly accurate.