Dear Sir or Madam,

I am interested in the processes and performance for 1st and 2nd
class mail delivery for standard UK letters.

I would be grateful if you could supply:

1. A set of recent documents that explain the mail process from
end-to-end: collection to delivery. I am particularly interested in
any documents that explain the difference between 1st and 2nd class
mail. i.e. what exactly in the process makes 2nd class mail take
longer?

2. A set of recent performance figures for 1st and 2nd class mail.
Here, I am looking for figures that expose the actual delivery
times, rather than comparison against performance targets. e.g. How
many 2nd class letters are delivered within 1 day, within 2 days,
within 3 days, etc.? Plus the same for 1st class mail (standard
letters). Ideally, I would like results broken down by month so
that I can see any variance that occurs throughout the year.

3. Please also supply any document that explains your method for
measuring performance as in (2).

As you can see, I am looking for information that will help me
assess the comparative value of 1st and 2nd class mail.

Thank you for your help.

Yours faithfully,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally

Thank you for your request for information received on 26/11/08, which we
are considering under the Freedom of Information Act. Under the Act you
should expect a reply from us to be sent by 24/12/08, which is twenty
working days from receipt of your request.

If for any reason we are unable to provide you with a full response within
that time, we will contact you explaining the reasons for this and giving a
revised date by which we will reply.

If in the mean time you have any questions or would like to contact us
about your request, please contact us by telephone 01252 806513 or
alternatively email or write to us at the address below. Please be assured
that we are giving this our attention and will get back to you shortly.

Yours sincerely

Marie Teasdale
[Royal Mail Group request email]
Freedom of Information Unit
PO Box 341, ALDERSHOT, GU11 1WW

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old Street, LONDON EC1V
9HQ

show quoted sections

Dear Mr McNally

I am writing in response to your email received 26th November 2008, in
which you requested information regarding the "processes and performance
for 1st and 2nd class mail delivery for standard UK letters". This has
now been considered and, in accordance with our duty under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, I have outlined our response to each part of your
request below. You requested the following information:

1. "A set of recent documents that explain the mail process from
end-to-end: collection to delivery. I am particularly interested in any
documents that explain the difference between 1st and 2nd class mail. i.e.
what exactly in the process makes 2nd class mail take longer?"

2. "A set of recent performance figures for 1st and 2nd class mail. Here, I
am looking for figures that expose the actual delivery times, rather than
comparison against performance targets. e.g. How many 2nd class letters are
delivered within 1 day, within 2 days, within 3 days, etc.? Plus the same
for 1st class mail (standard letters). Ideally, I would like results broken
down by month so that I can see any variance that occurs throughout the
year".

3. "Please also supply any document that explains your method for measuring
performance as in (2)".

In relation to your first request, I have provided the end to end mail
process in Annex 1 attached to this email. The key difference between first
and second class mail is the day and time of day at which it is processed
through the Royal Mail pipeline as described in Annex 1. For example, a 1
st Class item will be collected and outward processed at a local Mail
Centre on the same day of posting. It would travel on Royal Mail’s network
of air, rail and road transport overnight and be processed at the Inward
Mail Centre in the early hours of the following morning where it would be
forwarded to the delivery office to be delivered. A 2nd class item posted
on the same day would be collected at the same time as the 1st class item
but not outward processed until the following day.

Your second request related to the performance of 1st and 2nd class mail.
Information on the performance of these services is available to view on
our website
http://www.royalmailgroup.com/portal/rmg...

Here you will be able to find Quality of Service reports showing national
performance against targets with the information also broken down by
postcode area. You requested data showing the proportion of letters
delivered within 1, 2 and 3 days each month. We do hold data relevant to
this aspect of your request. However, we consider this more detailed,
unpublished data to be commercially sensitive and therefore exempt from
disclosure under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act (prejudice to
commercial interests). We believe that this information would be likely to
utilised by Royal Mail's competitors who could use this data to gain
detailed understanding of Royal Mail's current performance and to promote
their own services to business customers and the public.

Royal Mail Group is a publicly owned company and there is a real and direct
public interest in its commercial performance and financial well being.
There is public interest in the performance of mail services but this is
largely met by the role of the regulator to whom Royal Mail report and the
fact that performance and Quality of Service information is already
published by Royal Mail. We do not believe it is in the public interest to
risk damaging confidence in mail services unnecessarily at a time when
switching from mail to other media is already in evidence and the postal
market is open to full competition. As Royal Mail's competitors are not
required to publish equivalent information, releasing this data would not
allow customers to make a more informed choice about the postal operator or
service they wish to use. In our view therefore, the public interest lies
in applying this exemption and withholding the information.

Finally, you requested a document that explains the method for measuring
performance. The attached Annex 2 provides an overview of Royal Mail’s
approach to quality of service measurement in the domestic UK market. It
defines the principles that quality of service measurement must follow as
set out by European Standards and Royal Mail’s Operating Licence.

Your request for information was very broad, so I hope that information
provided meets your requirements. However, if you do require further
information then please contact me. If you are dissatisfied with this
response or the decision to withhold some information you do have a right
to request an internal review, in which case please write to the Head of
Information Compliance, Royal Mail House, Company Secretary's Office, 5th
Floor, 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ. An internal panel will then
review the request, and you will be advised of the outcome.

If, having requested an internal review by Royal Mail, you are still not
satisfied with our response you also have a right of appeal to the
Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Marie Teasdale
Freedom of Information Officer
[Royal Mail Group request email]
(See attached file: Annex 1.pdf)(See attached file: Annex 2.pdf)

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old Street, LONDON EC1V
9HQ

show quoted sections

Dear Marie Teasdale,

Thank you for your response to my FOI request about process and
performance of 2nd class mail.

Your response covers Items 1 and 3 very well; however, I am
planning to request an internal review on Item 2.

Before I do so, could you please confirm whether it is acceptable
for me to submit the request electronically through
WhatDoTheyKnow.com, or must I submit it to the postal address
stated?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally,

Re: Internal Review under the Freedom of Information Act

Thank you for your email received 24/12/08 requesting an internal review of
Royal Mail Group’s reply to your request for information under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000. This is receiving our attention and I will write
to you again once the internal review has been concluded.

In accordance with guidelines from the Information Commissioner’s Office,
Royal Mail will answer all appeals and requests for internal review of FOI
requests as soon as it reasonably can. This will usually be within 20
working days and in any case no later than 40 days from receipt of the
appeal.

In the mean time if you have any questions or would like to add any further
information for consideration then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Rush
Head of Information Compliance
[email address]

Conor McNally
<request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth To: [Royal Mail Group request email]
eyknow.com> cc:
Sent by: Conor McNally Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Process and performance for 2nd class
<request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth mail delivery
eyknow.com>

24/12/2008 12:59

Dear Marie Teasdale,

Thank you for your response to my FOI request about process and
performance of 2nd class mail.

Your response covers Items 1 and 3 very well; however, I am
planning to request an internal review on Item 2.

Before I do so, could you please confirm whether it is acceptable
for me to submit the request electronically through
WhatDoTheyKnow.com, or must I submit it to the postal address
stated?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Conor McNally

show quoted sections

Dear Martin Rush,

From your reply, I gather that you are happy for me to submit my
request for review through this channel. I now formally submit my
request.

For clarity, the information I am requesting is a recent set of
detailed performance figures for 1st and 2nd class standard UK mail
(i.e. normal-sized letters from postboxes). In particular, I am
looking for actual delivery times, rather than comparison against
targets. My original request gave the example of letters delivered
within "1 day, 2 days, 3 days, etc.". Please be clear that I wish
this figure to rise to however many days that you record, and the
results to be quoted separately for 1st and 2nd class deliveries.

The reference of my original request is:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/pr...

Having considered your reasons for withholding this information, I
would like you to consider the following during your review:

1. Not commercially sensitive. The information merely adds more
detail to data already available. I don't see how other providers
would be able to exploit it without publishing comprable data
themselves. On top of this, the Post Office enjoys a dominant
market position. The vast majority of consumers have no alternative
provider.

2. Public interest. It is in the public interest to understand the
true performance of their service. Current performance figures do
not allow for a proper comparison between the two classes of
delivery (e.g. is 2nd class mail really 3 times slower than 1st
class?). Releasing the figures would allow the public to make a
more informed choice over their stamps. It also gives them the
confidence that their letters are getting delivered on time.

Thanks you for taking the time to consider my review.

I look forward to the result.

Kind regards,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally,

Re: Internal Review under the Freedom of Information Act

Thank you for your recent email received 30/12/08 where you have clarified
your request for an internal review of Royal Mail Group’s reply to your
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This is
receiving our attention and I will write to you again once the internal
review has been concluded.

In accordance with guidelines from the Information Commissioner’s Office,
Royal Mail will answer all appeals and requests for internal review of FOI
requests as soon as it reasonably can. This will usually be within 20
working days and in any case no later than 40 days from receipt of the
appeal dated 30/12/08.

In the mean time if you have any questions or would like to add any further
information for consideration then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Rush
Head of Information Compliance
[email address]

Conor McNally
<request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth To: FOI requests at Royal Mail Group <[Royal Mail Group request email]>
eyknow.com> cc:
Sent by: Conor McNally Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Process and performance
<request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth for 2nd class mail delivery
eyknow.com>

30/12/2008 13:07

Dear Martin Rush,

From your reply, I gather that you are happy for me to submit my
request for review through this channel. I now formally submit my
request.

For clarity, the information I am requesting is a recent set of
detailed performance figures for 1st and 2nd class standard UK mail
(i.e. normal-sized letters from postboxes). In particular, I am
looking for actual delivery times, rather than comparison against
targets. My original request gave the example of letters delivered
within "1 day, 2 days, 3 days, etc.". Please be clear that I wish
this figure to rise to however many days that you record, and the
results to be quoted separately for 1st and 2nd class deliveries.

The reference of my original request is:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/pr...

Having considered your reasons for withholding this information, I
would like you to consider the following during your review:

1. Not commercially sensitive. The information merely adds more
detail to data already available. I don't see how other providers
would be able to exploit it without publishing comprable data
themselves. On top of this, the Post Office enjoys a dominant
market position. The vast majority of consumers have no alternative
provider.

2. Public interest. It is in the public interest to understand the
true performance of their service. Current performance figures do
not allow for a proper comparison between the two classes of
delivery (e.g. is 2nd class mail really 3 times slower than 1st
class?). Releasing the figures would allow the public to make a
more informed choice over their stamps. It also gives them the
confidence that their letters are getting delivered on time.

Thanks you for taking the time to consider my review.

I look forward to the result.

Kind regards,

Conor McNally

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Rush,

I would be grateful if you could let me know the result of your
internal review into my request about the performance of 1st and
2nd class mail.

Yours sincerely,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally

Thank you for your email received yesterday.

The internal review of your request is still on going but please be assured
it is receiving our attention and we will be contacting you shortly with
the outcome

Yours sincerely

Colin Young
Freedom of Information Manager
[Royal Mail Group request email]
PO Box 341, ALDERSHOT, GU11 1WW

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old Street, LONDON EC1V
9HQ

show quoted sections

Dear Colin Young,

Would it be possible to give me a progress update on your review?

In particular, I am interested in what steps you have already
taken, what roles have been involved, and when I should expect the
final result. Of course, I am also looking forward to receiving the
information I originally requested.

Thanks for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally

I am writing in response to your request for an internal review, under the
terms of the Freedom of Information Act of your request for information
from Royal Mail Group. We have completed a review of your request and I am
writing to advise you of their decision. I am very sorry for the length
time taken to respond to you and apologise for the inconvenience this may
have caused.

In your original request, which we received on 26th November 2008, you
requested the following information:

1. "A set of recent documents that explain the mail process from
end-to-end: collection to delivery. I am particularly interested in any
documents that explain the difference between 1st and 2nd class mail. i.e.
what exactly in the process makes 2nd class mail take longer?"

2. "A set of recent performance figures for 1st and 2nd class mail. Here, I
am looking for figures that expose the actual delivery times, rather than
comparison against performance targets. e.g. How many 2nd class letters are
delivered within 1 day, within 2 days, within 3 days, etc.? Plus the same
for 1st class mail (standard letters). Ideally, I would like results broken
down by month so that I can see any variance that occurs throughout the
year".

3. "Please also supply any document that explains your method for measuring
performance as in (2)".

In our response dated 24 December 2008, Marie Teasdale provided you with
the information which you asked for in the requested numbered 1 and 3
above. However, some information was withheld under section 43 of the
Freedom of Information Act. Royal Mail withheld performance data for 1st
and 2nd class mail services, which falls within the scope of your request
numbered 2 above, under section 43 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act.

I can confirm that Royal Mail holds figures, broken down by each period of
the 2008/09 financial year which set out the proportion of 1st and 2nd
Class items that are delivered on Day B, C, D, E, F, G or later (G+) etc –
with Day B being the day after posting, Day C being the second day after
posting, and so on.

In reviewing your request, our internal review panel considered whether
section 43 was correctly applied in this case. In your request for an
internal review, which we received on 30 December 2008, you argued that
this information is not commercially sensitive. You suggested that this
information merely adds more detail to data already available and could not
be exploited by Royal Mail’s competitors without their publishing of
comparable data regarding their own services.

The panel considered the points you raised, the information in question is
much more detailed than performance data already published for 1st and 2nd
class services. This information shows the percentage of mail delivered
within agreed targets. It is possible therefore that companies in direct
competition with Royal Mail could make use of this information, for
example, in negative marketing or negotiations with business customers.
You suggested that Royal Mail Group “enjoys a dominant market position”.
However, the relevant performance data relates to 1st and 2nd Class Stamped
and Meter items which would include bulk and business customers in addition
to members of the public using the service for ‘social mail’. It is
important to understand the commercial nature of the market Royal Mail
operates in. Since January 2006, the UK mail market has been fully
liberalised. Competitors are now able to offer customers full end-to-end
service for collection, sorting and delivery of their mail. These
companies compete directly with Royal Mail to provide services to business
customers.

In reviewing your request, the panel considered that further additional
factors would also mean that the commercial interests of Royal Mail would
be prejudiced if this data was disclosed. However, I am unable to explain
these factors further, as to do so would also cause such prejudice. Under
section 17 (4) of the Freedom of Information Act, an authority is not
obliged to state why an exemption applies or why the public interest is in
favour of maintaining that exemption, if the statement would involve the
disclosure of information which would itself be exempt information.

After considering all of these factors, the panel agreed that section 43
(2) of the Freedom of Information Act was applicable to the relevant
performance data. This was on the basis that the commercial interests of
Royal Mail would be likely to be prejudiced if the information was
disclosed.

Section 43 is subject to the Public Interest Test and the appeal panel also
considered whether, despite the application of the exemption, the public
interest test favours disclosing the information. In your request for an
internal review you argued that is in the public interest to understand the
true performance of their service and that available figures do not allow
for a proper comparison between 1st and 2nd class services. After
considering these points and the other relevant factors carefully, the
appeal panel agreed that the public interest test favours maintaining the
exemption. Again, under section 17 (4) of the Act,

We are not obliged to say why the public interest is in favour of
maintaining section 43 where stating the reasons would itself, involve the
disclosure of information which would itself be exempt information. We are
therefore not in a position to explain our reasoning in full. However, in
relation to competitors making use of this information, we did consider the
public interest in a transparent and accountable postal service and the
extent to which this is already provided by the regulation of postal
services and the provision of performance information under the terms of
Royal Mail Group’s licence from Postcomm.
I hope that this explains our reasons, as far as is possible, for
withholding the performance figures in question. Please contact me
directly if you would like any clarification or if there is anything
further I can do to help. In the event that you are not satisfied with
this response, you do also have a right to appeal to the Information
Commissioner who can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Yours sincerely

Colin Young
Freedom of Information Manager
Company Secretary's Office

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old Street, LONDON EC1V
9HQ

show quoted sections

Dear Royal Mail,

Can you let me know if it is your intention to release the detailed
performance figures today? It is now 35 days since the
commissioner's decision (ref FS50240406). I have not heard anything
about an appeal.

Let me know if you can provide the figures.

Kind regards,

Conor McNally

Dear Mr McNally

I can confirm that we have filed a notice of appeal with the Information
Tribunal. I understand that the Information Commissioner's Office will
inform you in relation to the process.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Young
Freedom of Information Manager
Company Secretary's Office

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 100 Victoria Embankment,
LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ

|---------+------------------------------------------>
| | Conor McNally |
| | <request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth|
| | eyknow.com> |
| | Sent by: Conor McNally |
| | <request-4370-8254a0ba@whatdoth|
| | eyknow.com> |
| | |
| | |
| | 05/01/2010 12:25 |
|---------+------------------------------------------>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
| To: [Royal Mail Group request email] |
| cc: |
| Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Process and performance for 2nd class mail delivery |
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Dear Royal Mail,

Can you let me know if it is your intention to release the detailed
performance figures today? It is now 35 days since the
commissioner's decision (ref FS50240406). I have not heard anything
about an appeal.

Let me know if you can provide the figures.

Kind regards,

Conor McNally

show quoted sections