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Ministers criticised for sale of postcode database Ministers criticised for sale of postcode database
(about 5 hours later)
A cross-party group of MPs has criticised the government for including a valuable database of postcodes in the flotation of the Royal Mail. The inclusion of a valuable database of postcodes and addresses in the Royal Mail flotation has been criticised by an influential group of MPs.
The Commons Public Administration Committee said the Postcode Address File (PAF) was a national asset and should not have been included in last year's privatisation. The Public Administration Committee said the Postcode Address File (PAF) was a national asset and should not have been included in privatisation.
It includes all known postal addresses in the UK with 1.8 million postcodes. It includes all known postal addresses in the UK, with 1.8 million postcodes.
The Committee's report said PAF was included to boost Royal Mail's value. The committee's report said the PAF was included to boost Royal Mail's value but this was denied by the government.
But the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills denied that claim. 'Never again'
"The Postcode Address File was included in the sale of Royal Mail because it is an integral part of its operations, not to boost the price," a spokesman said. The MPs said the database had been expensive to collect and was of "huge direct value" to the economy.
In its report the Committee said the database had been expensive to collect and was of "huge direct value" to the economy. The PAF, a complete set of the nation's postcodes, is valuable because its details can be used by businesses for mailshots and marketing.
The committee expressed concern about the credibility of assurances over continued access for small businesses and others, now the database was in private hands.
Committee chairman Bernard Jenkin said: "The sale of the PAF with the Royal Mail was a mistake. Public access to public sector data must never be sold or given away again."Committee chairman Bernard Jenkin said: "The sale of the PAF with the Royal Mail was a mistake. Public access to public sector data must never be sold or given away again."
'Fair price' 'Integral part'
But the government said it had ensured that the database remained available for some other uses, including the option to look up postcodes for free. The government said it had ensured the database remained available for some other uses, including the option to look up postcodes for free.
And Royal Mail said it was working on a proposal to widen access to the PAF. A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "The Postcode Address File was included in the sale of Royal Mail because it is an integral part of its operations, not to boost the price."
Royal Mail said it was working on a proposal to widen access to the PAF.
"Royal Mail recognises the importance that PAF plays as a vital dataset supporting and sustaining key parts of the UK economy and we are committed to its widespread availability at a fair price," it said in a statement."Royal Mail recognises the importance that PAF plays as a vital dataset supporting and sustaining key parts of the UK economy and we are committed to its widespread availability at a fair price," it said in a statement.