Letter: Post Office pledge

Sir: I am reluctant to quibble about the story ('Waldegrave warns against 'reforming zeal' ', 25 August) that appeared in today's Independent, but I would urge your correspondent to re- read the speech upon which the article was based. Contrary to the impression given by your newspaper, I made no mention - direct or otherwise - of the future ownership of the Post

Office.

Indeed, I referred to the Post Office only once - emphasising the merits of a system that delivers letters to every part of the kingdom, urban or rural, at the same cost. In doing so, I was simply reiterating the policy to which the Government is committed. We will, in the words of our manifesto, maintain 'a nationwide letter service with delivery to every address in the United Kingdom, within a uniform structure of prices'.

Yours sincerely,

WILLIAM WALDEGRAVE

MP for Bristol West (Con)

House of Commons

London, SW1

The writer is Minister of Public Service and Science