Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Conclusion 10
2nd Report - The regulation of postal services
Published 22 May 2026
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Royal Mail All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
If the improvement plan we have recommended fails to deliver meaningful change within six months of this Report, the Secretary of State should consult on statutory changes to Ofcom’s duties and/or powers, to ensure it is fit for the 21st-century postal market. As a first step, the Secretary of State should present a proposal to this Committee for levelling the playing field between Royal Mail and its competitors. This should ensure that competitors are not able to free-ride on Royal Mail’s infrastructure, nor undercut employment conditions through gig economy models. Ministers 10 should consider a wide range of options, including a levy on competitors to reflect the benefit they enjoy from the use of the network, or minimum standards for other operators to adhere to, from both a consumer and worker perspective. (Recommendation, Paragraph 23) 11
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, 2nd Report - The regulation of postal services (HC 131), 22 May 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 20 October 2026 (deadline 22 July 2026).