The Royal Mail is this week due to respond to the Newspaper Society's concerns over the proposed withdrawal of the Newspaper Registration Service.

The industry body met with Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier in January to discuss the importance of the service which allows newspapers to be sent by post at a specially reduced rate.

And the Newspaper Society fears that, if scrapped, there would be an adverse effect on regional newspapers, particularly in rural areas.

The Newspaper Registration Service was set up in the mid-1800's to enable publishers to reach readers living in remote areas not well served by newsagents.

By registering their newspapers with the Royal Mail, users get first class deliveries for second class postage rates, and this is currently relied upon by over 90 per cent of UK regional and local newspapers and their readers.

The Shetland Times, for instance, uses the service to send out 750 copies a week and has no alternative means of distribution available. The Society says it is among the many newspaper companies to have engaged the help of their local MPs in fighting the proposed withdrawal.

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