Royal Mail, as the designated Universal Service Provider for the United Kingdom, is required under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) to deliver the universal service to all communities \u2013 urban and rural \u2013 throughout the UK \u2013 and that includes the communities of the constituency of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.<\/p>
However, some postcode areas around the country, which may include addresses in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, are subject to local exemptions under the USO. Such exemptions are only allowed where geographical conditions or other circumstances are considered to be exceptional by Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services. These exceptions are carefully monitored by Ofcom and are subject to an established appeals process. Quality of service targets for all postcode areas are published quarterly by Royal Mail.<\/p>
Post Office Limited (POL) has no planned post office closures in the constituency. There is one possible planned change in Brora where there is a consultation underway to move the local post office to a new location in the community.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4020", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Freeman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Freeman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T16:30:17.763Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Postal Services: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what measures he has put in place to ensure that the Royal Mail Universal Service obligation remains active and in force across Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency; and what information his Department holds on planned closures of post offices in that constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4383", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Paul Monaghan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Paul Monaghan"} ], "uin" : "10711"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419788", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419788/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government publish on GOV.UK, on a country by country basis, details of sanctions regimes, arms embargoes and restrictions on the export of strategic goods currently implemented by the UK.<\/p>
Arms embargoes ban the export of \u2018arms and related material\u2019. This covers military ammunition, weapons and goods. They may be imposed by a number of organisations, including the UN, the EU or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. They may also be imposed at national level.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T14:57:00.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Arms Trade: Export Controls"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, to which countries UK weapons manufacturers are prohibited from selling arms.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "10746"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419790", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419790/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are unable to provide an individual breakdown of penalties and arrears. This would risk identifying individual employers outside of the naming policy and breach HMRC\u2019s statutory duty of confidentiality.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-19T15:33:00.483Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Minimum Wage"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2015 to Question 8778, what level of fine was levied on each company; and how much each such company owed in arrears.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"} ], "uin" : "10776"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419793", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419793/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In determining the way forward on Advanced Learning Loans, the Department will take into account the forthcoming outcomes of the current Spending Review and draw upon the responses that were gathered through an extensive loans consultation last year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-28T15:18:31.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Students: Loans"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to extend the loan system available for over 24 year olds for Level 3 vocational and technical programmes to people aged between 19 and 24 year olds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "10791"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419797", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419797/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on Gov.uk at:<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?keywords=Ministers&publication<\/a>.<\/p> Further publications of Ministerial meetings will be published in due course across Government in the usual way.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-10-22T11:39:23.31Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trade Associations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with which trade associations he has met since his appointment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4408", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christian Matheson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "City of Chester"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Christian Matheson"}
], "uin" : "10918"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419799", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/419799/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on Gov.uk at:<\/p>