HC Deb 20 November 2003 vol 413 cc1435-6W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will obtain from the Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd. a list of consultation exercises carried out by Post Office Counters since 1 January concerning proposed closures of urban(a) sub-post offices and (b) branch offices; how many and what percentage of such exercises resulted in the intention to close being withdrawn; and if she will place the information in the Library. [139214]

Mr. Timms

Proposals for closures of branch offices, and of sub-post offices under the urban network reinvention programme, are put out to public consultation in accordance with the code of practice agreed with Postwatch. Final decisions on closure proposals, after consideration of representations received, are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Mr. Letwin

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices were closed in Dorset between June 2001 and June 2003; and if she will make a statement on her policy in relation to possible future closures.[R] [139827]

Mr. Timms

I understand that since March 2000 the company has recorded details of post office closures, including those under the urban reinvention programme, which commenced in late 2002, on the basis of Government region and country. It does not record details of closures on a county basis, as it has no operational need for such data. However, I understand from Post Office Ltd. that in the South West region of England there were net closures of 82 post offices between end June 2001 and end June 2003.

The Government has placed a requirement on Post Office Ltd. to maintain the rural network and to prevent avoidable closures of rural offices. The development of post office closure proposals under the urban reinvention programme is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. within the framework of the Code of Practice agreed with Postwatch and the requirement that at the end of the programme 95 per cent. of the population in urban areas will still live within one mile of a post office.