Business of the House

Andrew Snowden Excerpts

Thursday 16th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is right to point to our record investment in local highways maintenance over the next four years and the £7.3 billion to tackle the scourge of potholes. I am astonished to hear that his Lib Dem council is not prepared to use that money. I encourage residents to take part in his survey to see the extent of the issue. When they get the opportunity, I am sure that his residents will make their voices heard at the ballot box.

[Mr Andrew Snowden (Fylde) (Con)]

Over the past 12 months or so, a lot of residents and businesses across Fylde and Wyre have reported significant delays to, and times of entire absence of, Royal Mail deliveries to their properties and businesses, with some lucky to get post once a week, or twice a week at best. I have experienced that myself. With local government elections on the horizon, will the Leader of the House provide a statement or some reassurance on the work being done among the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Royal Mail and local councils to ensure that people’s access to democracy through their postal votes is not diminished?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman will know, because he is an assiduous attender at these sessions, that the shortcomings of Royal Mail have been raised on a number of occasions. He refers specifically to the forthcoming local elections, and I can reassure him that the defending democracy taskforce has this issue clearly in its sights. As far as is possible, the taskforce gives reassurance that this is a priority in the run-up to the local elections.