HC Deb 26 April 1961 vol 639 cc391-2
1. Mr. Cleaver

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made with the scheme for the modernisation of public post offices.

The Postmaster-General (Mr. Reginald Bevins)

I hope to modernise all our older public offices—about 1,000 of them all told—in the next seven or eight years. In the current year, I hope to deal with about one hundred. Work on twenty-five has already started, or is about to start, and plans for the others are well advanced. This work supplements the ordinary Post Office building programme.

Mr. Cleaver

This is very encouraging news. Can my right hon. Friend say whether the figures which he has quoted include the rebuilding of the post office in Acocks Green and the reorganisation of the parcels sorting section in Yardley?

Mr. Bevins

The sorting space at Yardley does not fall within the modernisation programme, although we shall be having a look at that. I hope that we shall be able to deal with the Acocks Green post office in 1963. We cannot deal with it earlier, because we want to move certain of the postal operations to another site and give a larger public office.

Mr. Mason

In connection with modernisation, can the right hon. Gentleman say when the Committee which has been studying the question of sites and buildings is due to report and to what extent the contents of the report will be made public?

Mr. Bevins

I have already received certain reports from the experts who are giving me advice on this matter, but I am still awaiting other reports. As soon as I am in a position to make a statement to the House, I will do so.