Commentary on Sections The universal postal service Section 34: Review of minimum requirements
175.This section gives OFCOM the power to review the needs of users of postal services and the extent to which the minimum requirements specified in section 31 meet those needs. Subsection (2) allows such a review to consider whether the minimum requirements could be changed better to reflect those needs.
176.Under subsection (3) a copy of any review of this nature that OFCOM does conduct must be sent to the Secretary of State and subsection (4) gives the Secretary of State the power to direct OFCOM to undertake such a review at any time.
177.Subsection (5) gives the Secretary of State the power to amend, by order, the minimum requirements for a universal service, provided that OFCOM have carried out a review under subsection (1). An order to amend is to be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. No order can result in the service being non-uniform throughout the United Kingdom in respect of the tariffs, number of days' collection or number of days’ delivery.