Postal Services Act 2011

Meaning of OFCOM’s postal services functions

2 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 1 OFCOM’s postal services functions are—

(a) functions that OFCOM carry out under, or in consequence of, any enactment relating to postal services (including one contained in this Schedule),

(b) securing international co-operation in relation to the regulation of postal services,

(c) market analysis and any monitoring of the controls operating in the market for the provision of postal services,

(d) the carrying out for a relevant purpose of any research by OFCOM or the Consumer Panel into any of the matters mentioned in section 14(6A)(b) to (e) of the Communications Act 2003 (as inserted by Schedule 12 to this Act),

(e) the publication under section 26 of that Act of any information or advice that appears to OFCOM to be appropriate to make available to users of postal services, and

(f) any incidental functions carried out in relation to any of the above functions.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)(d) “a relevant purpose” means the purpose of ascertaining the effectiveness of one or more of the following—

(a) the regulation of the provision of postal services,

(b) the mechanisms in place for the handling by postal operators of complaints made about them by the users of postal services, and

(c) the mechanisms in place for resolving disputes between postal operators and the users of postal services.

(3) In sub-paragraph (1)(f) the reference to incidental functions carried out in relation to any of the functions within sub-paragraph (1)(a) to (e) includes the taking of any steps that OFCOM consider necessary—

(a) in preparation for the carrying out of any of those functions, or

(b) for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out of those functions or otherwise in connection with carrying them out.

(4) In sub-paragraph (3) the reference to the taking of any steps includes the taking of any steps before the commencement of this Schedule.