Michael Fabricant is today tabling a series of Parliamentary Questions to
the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt MP, to
ensure that the free postal services to the blind will continue when the
Post Office – now known as ‘Consignia’ – is privatised.

"Lichfield runs an excellent talking books for the blind service which
includes readings from local newspapers throughout the region. These are
sent out by volunteers on audio cassette and it is imperative that the
current free postal service is maintained. Most of these volunteer
services throughout the midlands would have to close if a privatised post
office started charging to mail the cassettes", says Michael Fabricant.

"Although Patricia Hewitt has given continual assurances that a privatised
postal service will maintain the obligation to provide a ‘universal
service’, that is that it will still be the same price to post an item to
The Outer Hebrides as it is to within Birmingham, no such guarantees have
yet been given regarding services to the blind. I am hoping that the
Secretary of State will now be able to do so when she answers my
Parliamentary Written Questions".