Royal Mail stake to be sold in £3bn to private foreign firm

The contract could be worth around £ 3 billion, less than one third of member
owned company that operates in the UK postal network will be sold to private
companies. Traffic see a plan that would account for taxpayers Royal Mail from
£ 7 billion pensions black hole - would be seen as the first step towards full
privatization of postal services in the United Kingdom.

It will be the first time in the nation to the universal postal service was founded in
the 19th century, that any participation in it has fallen into the hands of private
companies. But he sells out of a third company will operate are still required to
organize elections in 2005, an obligation to maintain in the hands of the public.

The decision to allow a company to take about a third of Royal Mail may be
announced by ministers as soon as Tuesday. The Telegraph understands that the two
companies were vying for the game. The company is TNT, the express mail service,
which is part of the Dutch company TPG, a former member of the postal services. In
others, they are regarded as a DHL courier on the package, part of Deutsche Post.

German postal company, which is the largest postal carrier, has long been in the UK
market for postal services. Although commercial rivals can collect and deliver mail
company, Royal Mail today has a monopoly on distribution of residential space.

More Info : Telegraph.co.uk