Post the facts – not the fiction

The judges of this year’s Booker Prize need not trouble themselves to get out of bed since the winner is clearly your report on pricing and Royal Mail.

This is indeed a classic work of fiction when it comes to the interpretation of the facts “Royal Mail offers pricing shake-up” (MW March 14).

Royal Mail would never simply dismiss customer ideas out of hand and the suggestion of a nominated delivery date – which is not new as a concept – for business mail might well be one to be examined.

But there is no question of Royal Mail actively looking to “bow to demands” to review and the idea that we are set to abandon first and second class pricing is quite frankly rubbish.

The question of a business pricing structure which may move away from a link to the standard national tariff which exists at the present – also not a new idea – is being looked at in association with a working party from the DMA, but what this might conclude is some way in the future.

I am quite happy to discuss the future of pricing within the postal service based upon the facts as Royal Mail sees them, provided that those facts are then written up clearly and accurately.

Nobody – especially your readers – is served well by the tabloid sensationalism which this item sought to generate.

Nigel Lawrence

Head of External Communications (business sectors)

Royal Mail

London EC1

It’s hardly fiction that the Royal Mail is in active discussion with the DMA on the dire need to improve Mailsort. Nor that an overwhelming body of opinion, which includes some senior members of the Royal Mail, recognises that nominated-day delivery is now inevitable. We realise that the Royal Mail has a few political problems to deal with en route, however – Editor