Law

Postal Services Act 2000

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2024-04-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 150 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 The Postal Services Commission.
  3. 2 The Consumer Council for Postal Services.
  4. 3 Duty of the Commission to ensure provision of a universal postal service.
  5. 4 Provision of a universal postal service: meaning.
  6. 5 Other duties of the Commission in the consumer interest.
  7. 6 Restriction on provision of postal services.
  8. 7 Exceptions from section 6.
  9. 7A
  10. 8 Power to modify section 7 by order.
  11. 9 General power to suspend the restriction.
  12. 10 Emergency power to suspend the restriction.
  13. 11 Licences: general.
  14. 12 Licences: grant.
  15. 12A Licences: refusal
  16. 12B Licences: determination of applications
  17. 13 Licences: conditions and other provisions.
  18. 14 Modification of licences by agreement.
  19. 15 References to the Competition Commission.
  20. 15A References under section 15: time limits
  21. 15B References under section 15: application of Enterprise Act 2002
  22. 16 Reports on references.
  23. 16A Reports on references under section 15: further provision
  24. 17 Modification following report.
  25. 18 Power of intervention of the Competition Commission.
  26. 19 Procedural requirements in relation to modifications.
  27. 19A Sections 18 and 19: further provision
  28. 20 Application of competition legislation to references etc.
  29. 21 Modification by order under other enactments.
  30. 22 Final orders.
  31. 23 Provisional orders.
  32. 24 Confirmation of provisional orders.
  33. 25 Exceptions from duty to make or confirm enforcement orders.
  34. 26 Enforcement orders: main procedural requirements.
  35. 27 Enforcement orders: further procedural requirements.
  36. 28 Validity of enforcement orders.
  37. 29 Effect of enforcement orders.
  38. 30 Financial penalties.
  39. 31 Statement of policy in relation to penalties.
  40. 32 Imposition of penalties: main procedural requirements.
  41. 33 Penalties: further procedural requirements.
  42. 34 Time-limits on the imposition of penalties.
  43. 35 Interest and payments by instalment.
  44. 36 Appeals.
  45. 37 Recovery of penalties.
  46. 38 Register.
  47. 39 Recovery of costs of the Council etc.
  48. 39A Licences and the new arrangements
  49. 40 Directors’ remuneration.
  50. 41 Free services for the blind and partially sighted.
  51. 42 Duties in relation to public post offices.
  52. 43 Duties in relation to social and environmental matters.
  53. 44 Review and information.
  54. 45 Annual and other reports: the Commission.
  55. 46 Publication of information and advice: the Commission.
  56. 47 Power of the Commission to require information.
  57. 48 Information powers: enforcement.
  58. 49 Powers of entry and seizure.
  59. 50 Codes of practice.
  60. 51 Relevant postal issues.
  61. 52 Provision of advice and information to public authorities and licence holders.
  62. 53 Publication of information to users.
  63. 54 Exercise of functions: general.
  64. 55 Annual and other reports: the Council.
  65. 56 Complaints referred to the Council.
  66. 57 Power of the Council to investigate other matters.
  67. 58 Power of the Council to require information.
  68. 59 Provision of information by the Council to the Commission.
  69. 60 Memorandum of understanding.
  70. 61 Forward work programmes.
  71. 61A Information relating to complaints handling standards
  72. 62 Transfer of property etc. to nominated company.
  73. 63 Power to direct issue of certain securities etc
  74. 64 Government investment in securities of certain companies.
  75. 65 Restriction on issue of shares to third parties.
  76. 66 Restriction on disposals of shares to third parties.
  77. 67 Approved disposals.
  78. 68 Loans by the Secretary of State to relevant companies.
  79. 69 Guarantees by the Secretary of State for relevant companies.
  80. 70 Extinguishment of certain liabilities.
  81. 71 Limit on loans and other arrangements with government.
  82. 72 Reserves of relevant companies.
  83. 73 Statutory accounts of the original holding company.
  84. 74 Further provisions relating to the capital structure of certain relevant companies.
  85. 75 Dissolution of the Post Office.
  86. 76 Accounts of the Secretary of State in relation to loans.
  87. 77 Publicity requirements for certain accounts and reports ....
  88. 78 Information requirements on certain relevant companies.
  89. 79 Exercise of functions through nominees.
  90. 80 Shadow directors.
  91. 81 Tax.
  92. 82 Interpretation: Part IV.
  93. 83 Interfering with the mail: postal operators.
  94. 84 Interfering with the mail: general.
  95. 85 Prohibition on sending certain articles by post.
  96. 86 Prohibition on affixing advertisements on certain letter boxes etc.
  97. 87 Prohibition on misleading descriptions.
  98. 88 Obstruction of business of universal service providers.
  99. 89 Schemes as to terms and conditions for provision of postal services.
  100. 89A Powers of OFCOM in relation to schemes
  101. 90 Exclusion of liability.
  102. 91 Limited liability for postal packets.
  103. 92 Section 91: supplementary.
  104. 93 Power to modify sections 89 to 92.
  105. 94 Power to require carriage of mail-bags by ship or aircraft.
  106. 95 Power to acquire land etc.
  107. 96 Immunity from prosecution.
  108. 97 Harbour charges on mail-bags.
  109. 98 Mail-bags not to be subject to control by harbour authorities.
  110. 99 Common carriers.
  111. 100 Certain exemptions from postage etc.
  112. 101 Directions in interests of national security etc.
  113. 102 Power to ensure compliance with the Postal Services Directive.
  114. 103 Subsidy for public post offices.
  115. 104 Inviolability of mails.
  116. 104A Power to detain packets in respect of unpaid or underpaid postage
  117. 105 Application of customs and excise enactments to certain postal packets.
  118. 105A Section 105: limit on handling charges etc
  119. 106 Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.
  120. 107 Conditions of transit of postal packets.
  121. 108 Evidence of amount of postage etc.
  122. 109 Evidence of thing being a postal packet.
  123. 110 Certificates in relation to universal postal service letter boxes.
  124. 111 Exclusion of liability in relation to postal and money orders.
  125. 112 Schemes in relation to postal and money orders.
  126. 113 Recoupment of losses on wrongly paid money orders.
  127. 114 Special arrangements with other countries or territories.
  128. 115 Extension of existing powers relating to the Post Office.
  129. 116 The Postcode Address File.
  130. 117 Records of the former Postmaster General’s department.
  131. 118 Supplementary provisions relating to the Council.
  132. 119 General restrictions on disclosure of information.
  133. 120 Offences by bodies corporate.
  134. 121 Service of documents.
  135. 122 Orders and regulations.
  136. 123 Directions.
  137. 124 General financial provision.
  138. 125 Interpretation.
  139. 126 Index of defined expressions.
  140. 127 General amendments and repeals.
  141. 128 Modifications of local enactments etc.
  142. 129 Transitional provisions etc.
  143. 130 Commencement.
  144. 131 Short title and extent.
  145. SCHEDULE 3 Transfer to the Post Office company: supplementary provisions
  146. SCHEDULE 4 Transfer to the Post Office company: tax
  147. SCHEDULE 5 Acquisition of land
  148. SCHEDULE 6 Further provisions relating to land
  149. SCHEDULE 8 Amendments of enactments
  150. SCHEDULE 9 Repeals and revocations

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

150 provisions

33 Penalties: further procedural requirements.

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34 Time-limits on the imposition of penalties.

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35 Interest and payments by instalment.

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36 Appeals.

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37 Recovery of penalties.

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38 Register.

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39 Recovery of costs of the Council etc.

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39A Licences and the new arrangements

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40 Directors’ remuneration.

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41 Free services for the blind and partially sighted.

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42 Duties in relation to public post offices.

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43 Duties in relation to social and environmental matters.

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44 Review and information.

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45 Annual and other reports: the Commission.

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46 Publication of information and advice: the Commission.

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47 Power of the Commission to require information.

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48 Information powers: enforcement.

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49 Powers of entry and seizure.

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50 Codes of practice.

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51 Relevant postal issues.

In this section and sections 52 to 57— “relevant postal issues” means the interests of users of relevant postal services in the United Kingdom and matters affecting those interests, “relevant postal services” means any postal services provided in connection with the provision of a universal postal service and any other postal services which are provided, or authorised or required to be provided, by a licence holder under Part II in accordance with a licence under that Part, and, for this purpose, services are provided in accordance with a licence if the licence authorises or requires them to be provided by the licence holder.

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52 Provision of advice and information to public authorities and licence holders.

(1) The Council shall— (a) provide advice and information, (b) represent the views of users of relevant postal services, and (c) make proposals, about relevant postal issues to any person mentioned in subsection (2). (2) Those persons are— (a) the Secretary of State, the Commission, the Competition Commission and any other public authority, (b) any universal service provider, (c) any licence holder under Part II who is not a universal service provider, and (d) any other person whose activities may affect the interests of users of relevant postal services. (3) So far as practicable the Council shall secure that no information relating to the affairs of a person is disclosed under this section to a person mentioned in subsection (2)(b) to (d) if the Council considers that its disclosure would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of the person to whom it relates. (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to any disclosure of information to which the person to whom the information relates consents.

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53 Publication of information to users.

(1) The Council shall make available to users of relevant postal services such information as it considers expedient to give to such users about— (a) relevant postal services, (b) relevant postal issues, and (c) itself and its functions. (2) The Council may perform its function under subsection (1) by— (a) publishing information in such form and manner as the Council considers appropriate, or (b) furnishing any such information to any user of relevant postal services (whether in response to a request or otherwise). (3) So far as practicable the Council shall secure that no information relating to the affairs of a person is disclosed under this section if the Council considers that its disclosure would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of the person to whom it relates. (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to any disclosure of information to which the person to whom the information relates consents.

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54 Exercise of functions: general.

(1) The Council shall, in exercising its functions in relation to relevant postal services, have regard to the interests of different users of relevant postal services (including, in particular, the interests of users in different areas). (2) The Council shall, in exercising its functions, have regard to the interests of— (a) individuals who are disabled or chronically sick, (b) individuals of pensionable age, (c) individuals with low incomes, and (d) individuals residing in rural areas, but that is not to be taken as implying that regard may not be had to the interests of other descriptions of persons. (3) So far as the Council considers it practicable to do so with a view to facilitating the exercise of its functions, it shall collect and keep under review information about— (a) the provision (in the United Kingdom and elsewhere) of postal services, and (b) the interests and views of users of postal services in the United Kingdom and matters affecting those interests and views. (4) As part of the arrangements it makes for exercising its functions, the Council— (a) shall establish— (i) a committee for Scotland, (ii) a committee for Wales, and (iii) a committee for Northern Ireland, (b) may establish other committees for any areas within Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and (c) shall establish at least one committee, and may establish other committees, in relation to England (whether a committee for England or a committee for an area within England). (5) The purposes of a committee established under subsection (4) (in this Act referred to as a “regional committee”) shall be— (a) the provision of advice and information to the Council about relevant postal issues affecting the area for which it is established, and (b) such other purposes as the Council may determine. (6) The Council shall maintain in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at least one office at which users of relevant postal services may apply for information.

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55 Annual and other reports: the Council.

(1) The Council shall, as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, make a report to the Secretary of State on its activities during that year (“the annual report”). (2) The Secretary of State shall— (a) lay a copy of each annual report before each House of Parliament, and (b) publish the report in such manner as he considers appropriate. (3) The Council may prepare other reports in relation to any matter falling within the scope of its functions and may publish any such report in such manner as it considers appropriate. (4) A report under this section shall contain such information as may be specified in any direction given to the Council by the Secretary of State. (5) So far as practicable the Council shall secure the exclusion from any report under this section of any matter relating to the affairs of a person if the Council considers that its inclusion would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the person’s interests. (6) Subsection (5) does not apply if the person concerned consents to inclusion of the matter in the report.

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56 Complaints referred to the Council.

(1) Where a matter which relates to the provision of relevant postal services is referred to the Council by or on behalf of a user of such services and— (a) the matter has previously been the subject of a complaint to the person providing the service concerned, (b) the complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved, and (c) the matter does not appear to the Council to be of a frivolous or vexatious nature, the Council shall investigate the matter as it considers appropriate. (2) Where, as the result of any such investigation, the Council considers that— (a) a condition of a licence under Part II may have been contravened, (b) the matter referred, or any other matter, is a referable matter, or (c) it is appropriate to do so, it shall, as soon as practicable, refer the matter concerned to the Commission for its consideration. (3) The Council and the Commission shall from time to time agree the descriptions of matters which are to be referred to the Commission and, for the purposes of subsection (2)(b), a matter is a “referable matter” if it is of a description for the time being so agreed.

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57 Power of the Council to investigate other matters.

(1) The Council may investigate— (a) any matter (not being a matter which it is under a duty to investigate under section 56) which it considers to be a matter relating to the interests of users of relevant postal services, and (b) any matter relating to the number and location of public post offices. (2) The Council may send a report on any matter investigated under this section to— (a) the Commission, (b) the Secretary of State, (c) the Office of Fair Trading, (d) any other public authority whose functions appear to the Council to be exercisable in relation to that matter. (3) Subject to subsection (4), the Council may also— (a) send a report on any such matter to any person who appears to the Council to have an interest in the matter, and (b) publish any such report in such manner as the Council considers appropriate. (4) So far as practicable the Council shall secure the exclusion from any report under subsection (3) of any matter relating to the affairs of a person if the Council considers that its inclusion would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the person’s interests. (5) Subsection (4) does not apply if the person concerned consents to inclusion of the matter in the report.

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58 Power of the Council to require information.

(1) The Council may serve notice on any person mentioned in subsection (2) requiring him— (a) to supply to the Council such information specified or described in the notice as the Council may reasonably require in the exercise of its functions, and (b) to supply it at a time and place and in a form and manner so specified and to a person so specified. (2) The persons on whom a notice under subsection (1) may be served are— (a) the Commission, (b) a universal service provider, (c) any licence holder under Part II who is not a universal service provider. (3) In deciding whether to serve a notice under this section and the contents of any such notice, the Council shall have regard to the desirability of minimising the costs of, and any other detriment to, the person on whom the notice may be, or is to be, served. (4) Subject to subsections (5) to (7), a person on whom a notice is served under this section shall comply with the notice. (5) The Commission may refuse to supply information required from it by a notice under this section if subsection (7) applies. (6) A person falling within subsection (2)(b) or (c) may refuse to supply information required from him by a notice under this section if the Commission determines that he need not comply with the notice; and the Commission may so determine if subsection (7) applies. (7) This subsection applies if the Commission considers that— (a) the information concerned is not reasonably required by the Council in the exercise of its functions, (b) the information concerned is of a description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State, or (c) any other circumstances so specified apply. (8) The Commission shall, if required by the Council to do so, give a statement to the Council of its reasons for— (a) a refusal to supply information under this section, (b) a determination under subsection (6), and the Council may publish that statement in such manner as it considers appropriate. (9) No person shall be required under this section— (a) to produce any documents which he could not be compelled to produce in civil proceedings before the court, or (b) to supply any information which he could not be compelled to supply in evidence in such proceedings. (10) If a person makes default in complying with a notice under this section, the court may, on the application of the Council, make such order as the court considers appropriate for requiring the default to be made good. (11) Any such order may, in particular, provide that all the costs or expenses of and incidental to the application shall be borne— (a) by the person in default, or (b) if officers of a company or other association are responsible for its default, by those officers. (12) In this section, “the court”— (a) in relation to England and Wales or Northern Ireland, means the High Court, and (b) in relation to Scotland, means the Court of Session.

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59 Provision of information by the Council to the Commission.

(1) The Council shall, as soon as practicable after being required to do so by the Commission, provide to the Commission such information relating to the exercise of the Commission’s functions as the Commission may require. (2) The Secretary of State may by order specify— (a) descriptions of information which the Council may refuse to provide under this section, and (b) circumstances in which the Council may refuse to provide information under this section. (3) Where the Council refuses to provide any information under this section, it shall give notice to the Commission of the reason for its refusal and the Commission may publish that notice in such manner as it considers appropriate.

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60 Memorandum of understanding.

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61 Forward work programmes.

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61A Information relating to complaints handling standards

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62 Transfer of property etc. to nominated company.

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) Schedule 3 (which makes supplementary provision) shall have effect. (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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63 Power to direct issue of certain securities etc

(1) This section applies to— (a) a Post Office company, (b) a Royal Mail company, or (c) a company in the same group as a company within paragraph (a) or (b), that is wholly owned by the Crown. (2) The Secretary of State may direct a company to which this section applies to issue securities to— (a) the Secretary of State or the Treasury (or to a nominee of either of them), or (b) a parent company that is wholly owned by the Crown. (3) A direction must specify— (a) the kind and amount of securities to be issued, (b) the terms of issue, and (c) the date at or by which the securities must be issued. (4) Any shares issued in pursuance of a direction under this section are to be— (a) issued as fully paid, and (b) treated for the purposes of the Companies Acts as if they had been paid up by virtue of payment of their nominal value in cash. (5) A direction under this section may be given only with the consent of the Treasury. (6) Before giving a direction under this section, the Secretary of State must consult— (a) the company to whom the direction is to be given, and (b) if the company has a parent company, its parent company (or, if it has more than one parent company, the parent company that does not itself have a parent company).

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64 Government investment in securities of certain companies.

(1) The Treasury or, with the consent of the Treasury, the Secretary of State may at any time acquire securities of— (a) a Post Office company, (b) a Royal Mail company, or (c) a company in the same group as a company within paragraph (a) or (b). (1A) Securities acquired under this section may be held by a nominee. (2) The Secretary of State shall not, without the consent of the Treasury, dispose of any securities acquired by him in pursuance of this section. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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65 Restriction on issue of shares to third parties.

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66 Restriction on disposals of shares to third parties.

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67 Approved disposals.

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68 Loans by the Secretary of State to relevant companies.

(1) The Secretary of State may, on or after the appointed day and with the approval of the Treasury, make loans to a relevant company. (1A) In this Part “relevant company” means— (a) a Post Office company, (b) a Royal Mail company, or (c) a company that is, or has at any time been, in the same group as a company within paragraph (a) or (b). (2) Interest shall be paid on loans made by the Secretary of State under this section at such rates as the Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, direct. (3) Subject to that, the loans shall be on such terms as may be— (a) agreed between the Secretary of State and the company to which the loan is made, and (b) approved by the Treasury. (4) The terms shall, in particular, include provision as to the times and methods of payment of the principal and interest. (5) The power of the Secretary of State to make loans under this section includes power to make loans in currencies other than sterling. (6) The Treasury may issue out of the National Loans Fund to the Secretary of State such sums as are necessary to enable him to make loans under this section. (7) Such sums may be issued in sterling or, where the loan is to be in a currency other than sterling, in that currency or in sterling. (8) Any sums received by the Secretary of State by way of repayment of, or interest on, a loan made by him under this section shall be paid into the National Loans Fund.

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69 Guarantees by the Secretary of State for relevant companies.

(1) The Secretary of State may, on or after the appointed day and in such manner and on such conditions as he considers appropriate, guarantee the discharge of any financial obligation of a relevant company. (2) As soon as practicable after giving a guarantee under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall lay a statement of the guarantee before each House of Parliament. (3) If any sums are paid by the Secretary of State in fulfilment of a guarantee given under subsection (1), the relevant company shall make to the Secretary of State, at such times and in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct— (a) payments, of such amounts as the Secretary of State may direct, in or towards repayment of the sums paid by the Secretary of State, and (b) payments of interest on what is outstanding in respect of the sums paid by the Secretary of State, at such rate as the Secretary of State may direct. (4) If any sums are paid by the Secretary of State in fulfilment of a guarantee given under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall— (a) lay a statement relating to the sums before each House of Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year in which the sums were paid, and (b) lay a statement before each House of Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of any subsequent financial year in which there is an outstanding liability in relation to the obligation which is the subject of the guarantee. (5) Any statement under subsection (4) shall include a statement of— (a) any amounts received by the Secretary of State during the financial year concerned in or towards repayment of, or as interest in respect of, sums paid by him in fulfilment of any guarantee given under subsection (1), and (b) any amounts outstanding at the end of that year in respect of sums so paid by the Secretary of State.

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70 Extinguishment of certain liabilities.

(1) The Secretary of State may, on or after the appointed day, by order extinguish all or any of the liabilities of a relevant company in respect of— (a) such sums paid by the Treasury, in fulfilment of guarantees given under section 38 of the Post Office Act 1969, as may be specified in the order, or (b) such sums paid by the Secretary of State, in fulfilment of guarantees given under section 69 of this Act, as may be specified in the order. (2) The Secretary of State may, on or after the appointed day, by order extinguish such liabilities to him of a relevant company as may be specified in the order; but the order shall not specify liabilities which— (a) may be extinguished under subsection (1), or (b) relate to taxes, duties or fines. (3) Before exercising a power under subsection (1) or (2), the Secretary of State must consult— (a) the relevant company, and (b) if the relevant company has a parent company, its parent company (or, if it has more than one parent company, the parent company that does not itself have a parent company). (5) The Secretary of State may by order repeal this section. (6) The Secretary of State shall not exercise any power conferred on him by subsection (1), (2) or (5) without the consent of the Treasury.

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