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'No comment' on any Mail sell-off Mail report 'to suggest sell-off'
(21 minutes later)
A government spokeswoman has declined to comment on whether it would back any recommendation that the Royal Mail be part-privatised. A report into the future of the Royal Mail due out later is expected to call for the service to be part-privatised.
It came as a report into the future of the mail service is due to be published later. The spokeswoman said no comment would be made until it was released. The study by former media watchdog boss Richard Hooper was commissioned by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Report (BERR).
There is growing speculation that the review by Richard Hooper will recommend such a partial sell-off. A BERR spokeswoman has declined to comment on whether it would back any partial sell-off recommendation.
It also expected to show a big rise in the Royal Mail's pension fund deficit. The spokeswoman said no comment would be made by the department until the report was released.
The study by Mr Hooper, a former deputy chairman of Ofcom, is also expected to show a big rise in the Royal Mail's pension fund deficit.
This may now total as much as £7bn.This may now total as much as £7bn.
Strike actionStrike action
The report by Richard Hooper, a former deputy chairman of the media watchdog Ofcom, is further expected to recommend modernisation for the service, with potential job losses as a result. The report is further expected to recommend modernisation for the service, with potential job losses as a result.
The government has committed itself to maintaining the "universal service" - daily deliveries to every UK home, and collections from all postboxes.The government has committed itself to maintaining the "universal service" - daily deliveries to every UK home, and collections from all postboxes.
Meanwhile, up to 2,000 postal workers are to stage a 24-hour strike later this week in a row over office closures.Meanwhile, up to 2,000 postal workers are to stage a 24-hour strike later this week in a row over office closures.
The Communication Workers Union said its members in Liverpool, Coventry, Stockport, Oldham, Oxford, Crewe and Bolton would walk out on 19 December - the day before the last Christmas posting day for first-class letters.The Communication Workers Union said its members in Liverpool, Coventry, Stockport, Oldham, Oxford, Crewe and Bolton would walk out on 19 December - the day before the last Christmas posting day for first-class letters.