Statutory Instruments
1996 No. 2045

POST OFFICE
The Postal Privilege (Suspension) Order 1996

Made
5th August 1996

Laid before Parliament
5th August 1996

Coming into force
6th August 1996

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the power conferred on him by section 69 of the British Telecommunications Act 1981(1) and after consultation with the Post Office, hereby makes the following Order:—

1.  This Order may be cited as the Postal Privilege (Suspension) Order 1996 and shall come into force on 6th August 1996.

2.—(1) In paragraph (2) below, “the postal privilege” means the exclusive privilege of conveying letters from one place to another and of performing all the incidental services of receiving, collecting and delivering letters, being the privilege conferred on the Post Office by section 66(1) of the British Telecommunications Act 1981, and the reference to the conveyance of a letter includes a reference to the performance of such incidental services as aforesaid.

(2) The postal privilege shall be suspended for the period from the coming into force of this Order until the end of 5th September 1996 in relation to the conveyance of a letter which is conveyed in consideration of a payment of less than £1 made by or on behalf of the person for whom it is conveyed.

Anthony Nelson
Minister for Trade,
Department of Trade and Industry
5th August 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order suspends from 6th August 1996 until the end of 5th September 1996 the exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance of letters so as to permit other persons to convey them for charges of less than £1 for each letter conveyed.
The Postal Privilege (Suspension) Order 1981, S.I. 1981/1483, suspends until the end of the year 2006 the exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance of letters so as to permit other persons to convey them if a minimum charge of £1 is made for each letter conveyed.

(1)
1981 c. 38.