Pressure is mounting on Royal Mail chief Simon Thompson after being slammed by MPs and regulators
The future of Royal Mail boss Simon Thompson is in doubt after being criticized by MPs and regulators.
In a damning report released today, the Commons Affairs Committee accused him of ‘either an unacceptable level of incompetence or an unacceptable level of ignorance’.
He also said Thompson misled MPs “intentionally or inadvertently” and called on Ofcom to investigate, prompting the regulator to make another mess.
Grilling: Royal Mail boss Simon Thompson (pictured) has been accused of ‘either an unacceptable level of incompetence or an unacceptable level of ignorance’
“Royal Mail’s recent performance is clearly well below where it should be,” Ofcom said. “We are very concerned about this and have asked the company to explain what it is doing to restore service levels, as a matter of urgency.”
“Ofcom is preparing its own assessment and ‘will not hesitate to take enforcement action’.
The comments are mounting pressure on Thompson as he works to turn Royal Mail around in the face of a wave of strikes and mounting losses.
In its report, the committee said it violated its universal service obligation (USO), which requires it to deliver letters six days a week.
He cited evidence that some workers have been asked to prioritize parcels over letters. MPs also called on the Information Commissioner to investigate allegations that Royal Mail used data from personal digital assistants (PDAs) to track workers.
The company denies that this is its policy. But the report accuses Thompson of “intentionally or inadvertently” misleading MPs when he said he did not understand PDA data was being used to monitor performance.
“I find it hard to believe that such widespread violations of company policy and legal obligations are due to a national network of rogue workers conspiring against management,” said committee chairman MP Darren Jones. .
“We have been inundated with testimonials from postal workers challenging the accuracy of answers given by Simon Thompson.
“The failures of company policy which Mr Thompson has admitted can only be due to an unacceptable level of incompetence or an unacceptable level of ignorance of what is going on at Royal Mail.
Hiding behind the pandemic as a driving factor in failures is not enough.
“Ofcom must begin enforcement proceedings to ensure that everyone receives a consistent service wherever they are.”
Royal Mail rejected claims it misled the committee, saying it had ‘answered in detail the questions posed’ and was reviewing delivery policies.
He said the “challenges” facing the company and the USO “cannot be ignored.” “We urge the government, Ofcom and all stakeholders to work with us to ensure that we have a financially sustainable universal service for many years to come,” a spokesperson said.
