I appreciate the importance of Customer Service Points (CSPs) to members of the public and small businesses, and the value that they provide to communities. I therefore welcome the fact that Royal Mail has now stated that, having completed the first stage of its review of the CSP network, it has decided to maintain the current estate of CSPs.

I agree with the Communication Workers Union (CWU), that this decision is welcome, however, we must continue to monitor developments with Royal Mail’s review closely. Its next stage will “focus on ensuring that opening hours match demand, and ways of working.” The benefits that CSPSs provide are not guaranteed yet.

More widely, I share concerns about the management of Royal Mail. It is worrying that, last year, Royal Mail’s Board led the company to losses of £1 million a day, just six months after reporting huge profits and paying out £567 million in dividends and a share buyback. This is significant financial mismanagement, with the board prioritising funneling money to their shareholders over ensuring that the company can still continue to function.

It is also concerning that Royal Mail has asked the Government to cut Saturday letter deliveries from the universal service obligation. The continuation of the universal service was one of the key conditions of Royal Mail’s privatisation; neither this, nor CSPs, should be cut to pay for the Board’s greed.

Royal Mail’s current management puts at risk the stability that the company needs to modernise and provide the essential service that it is supposed to. This is why my Opposition colleagues and I believe that the Government needs to launch an Inquiry into the management of Royal Mail and the risks facing the postal service. I can assure you that we will continue to push for this in Parliament.