Post Office Act 1969


The Post Office Act 1969 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that changed the General Post Office from a department of state to a public corporation, known as the Post Office. It also abolished the office of Postmaster General of the United Kingdom.
The powers of the Postmaster General were transferred to a new cabinet member, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. The incumbent Postmaster, John Stonehouse, became the first Minister of Post and Telecommunications on 1 October 1969.
The act created a new public corporation, the Post Office, as the "authority for the conduct of postal and telegraphic business". The corporation was to consist of a chairman and between six and twelve full or part-time members. The chairman was to be appointed by the minister and the other members by the minister following consultation with the chairman. The first Chairman of the Post Office was Viscount Hall of Cynon Valley.
The main powers given to the new body were: