New Clause 1 Content of election address
Electoral Administration Bill
12:15 pm
David Cairns (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Scotland Office; Inverclyde, Labour)
I am not going to recommend that my colleagues accept the new clause if it is pressed to a vote, but I am grateful to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome for giving me the chance to clarify some of the issues that have been raised during this short debate.
As we know, the Royal Mail has certain obligations—in relation to obscene publications, for example—and has obligations to its own staff in relation to the weight of items delivered. The hon. Gentleman made the point that it also has its own procedures and sets out regulations on how those leaflets should be delivered. However, the 1983 Act gives the Royal Mail other obligations. It says that the communication should include, and that therefore the Royal Mail should deliver
“matter relating to the election only and not exceeding 60 grammes in weight.”
It is not for the Royal Mail, or the postmasters, to express a view on the editorial content—