Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch took part in a Scottish Parliament debate on “The Postcode Penalty” last Thursday 24th of September and called on the Royal Mail to be taken into Public Ownership and that the maximum delivery weight of goods should be increased from 30kg to 100kg.

The debate centred around the recent publication of Citizens Advice Scotland’s report, The Postcode Penalty, which highlighted the continuing problems relating to the delivery of online shopping to folk in the Highlands and Islands.

It was noted in the report, while fewer online retailers now impose a surcharge for delivery, those who do have increased these charges by 17.6% for customers in the Highlands and 15.8% for island residents since 2012.

Mr Thompson said, “The issue of delivery surcharge is particularly important to my constituency of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, as it is remote rural and island communities which are disproportionately affected by increased delivery costs.

“We need the Royal Mail in public hands and we need to increase the maximum delivery weight from 30kg to 100kg. This would deal at a stroke with delivery of goods weighing up to 100kg — or 220lb — to anywhere in the country.

“Any decent sensible Government would do this, but unfortunately the present UK Government is going in the opposite direction. However, we must do what we can to mitigate the effects of poor decision making by the UK Government, so that an equitable solution to grossly unfair delivery pricing in the Highlands and Islands can be found”.

Notes:

Motion Debated and Link to Official Report Below.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott): The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-14183, in the name of John Finnie, on the postcode penalty. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite members who are leaving the chamber to do so quickly and quietly, and I extend that invitation to members of the public. Motion debated, That the Parliament welcomes the publication of Citizens Advice Scotland’s report, The Postcode Penalty: The Distance Travelled; notes with concern the continuing problems highlighted in the report relating to the delivery of online shopping to people in the Highlands and Islands; understands that, while fewer online retailers now impose a surcharge for delivery, those who do have increased these charges by 17.6% for customers in the Highlands and 15.8% for island residents since 2012; welcomes the report’s recommendations, including extending the road equivalent tariff to cover delivery vehicles on ferries and the proposal to encourage delivery to ferries in partnership with CalMac, and notes calls for the Scottish Government to continue to work with Citizens Advice Scotland, trading standards services, the online retail industry and enterprise bodies to support innovation in the interests of consumers.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10104&i=93313