§ 4. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Postmaster-General what Post Office services he is arranging to provide for the Bentley Estate in the urban district of Darlaston.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Miss Mervyn Pike)This estate has a sub-post office, four pillar boxes and three telephone kiosks. These facilities are comparable with those we provide in similar areas. I have not the provision of additional facilities in mind at present, but I shall watch the position as the estate grows.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that the Darlaston Urban District Council is very concerned that there are not proper Post Office facilities available in this important and large estate? Will she ask her right hon. Friend to co-operate with the council in the provision of the facilities which are required there?
§ Miss PikeI should like to assure the hon. Member that we are doing what we can. The shop where the council would like the second office is only a very short distance from the Bentley office which we recently opened—only 625 yards. There may well be a case later for opening an office on the as yet undeveloped northern half of the estate, where some shops are to be built. We are watching that position very carefully.