{"value":{"id":1462452,"askingMemberId":1211,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2022-05-12T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2022-05-16T00:00:00","uin":"1110","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on Royal Mail’s decision to add barcodes to its postage stamps; and what assessment has been made of the impact of that decision on consumers with unused non-barcoded and Christmas stamps after they cease to be valid in January 2023.","answeringBodyId":201,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4414,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2022-05-20T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>The Department has regular discussions with Royal Mail on a wide range of issues. However, the development of stamp products is an operational matter for Royal Mail, a private company, and the Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.</p><p> </p><p>Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.</p><p> </p><p>Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: <a href=\"http://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps\" target=\"_blank\">www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps</a>.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Postage Stamps: ICT","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1462452","method":"GET"}]}