For Immediate Release – Wednesday 13 October 2010
Attn: NEWS DESKS
POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS
LIBDEMS SELL-OUT OVER SELL-OFF
Commenting on publication today (Wednesday) of the Postal Services
Bill, SNP Business and Enterprise spokesperson Mike Weir MP expressed
concern at the absence of an upper limit on how much of Royal Mail
could be sold off to a private company.
Overseas firms will be among those allowed to buy 90% of the Royal
Mail, with 10% going in shares to postal workers.
Mr Weir said:
“We can now see in black and white just how far the Tories and Liberal
Democrats are prepared to go, with no upper limit on how much of the
business can be sold-off. Even Lord Mandelson offered to insert a
legislative guarantee that only 33% could be privatised.
“After following the lead of the previous Labour government and
spending months of running-down Royal Mail, Vince Cable is now talking
it up in the hope of flogging it off. The wording of any prospectus
should be interesting.
“The truth of the matter is that the present state of the Royal Mail
has arisen because successive governments have taken money out of the
company rather than investing it back into the system.
“If the company is sold off it is inconceivable that there will not be
increased pressure on the Universal Service Obligation. Vince Cable
has already indicated that he is prepared to reduce the six day a week
service.
“The maintenance of a comprehensive mail delivery service is essential
for Scotland and that could best be achieved by keeping the company in
public ownership. We have already seen the chaos that has overtaken
the Post Office network by the rush to "liberalisation".
“A similar situation could devastate mail delivery services. The
report recommending part privatisation also suggests that local
sorting centres could be closed.
“Royal Mail is a vital public service and the maintenance of the
universal service obligation is essential for communities and small
businesses throughout Scotland. Many small businesses rely on Royal
Mail and any threat to it could be disastrous at a time of recession
when it is essential to support small local businesses.
"It is clear that Royal Mail requires investment, but that should be
public investment for the future and to ensure a universal service.”
ENDS
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