HC Deb 20 July 1994 vol 247 cc304-5
7. Mrs. Roche

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about security of sub-post offices. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Technology (Mr. Patrick McLoughlin): Security in sub-post offices is an operational matter for the Post Office in conjunction with the individual sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses who own them. The Post Office takes security throughout the post office network very seriously and keeps it under constant review.

Mrs. Roche

Given the alarming number of attacks on the staff of sub-post offices, including the recent tragic murder of a sub-postmaster on the Archway road in my constituency, will the Minister give an assurance that he will have urgent talks with the Post Office about the funding of vital security measures such as alarm systems and closed circuit television?

Mr. McLoughlin

The whole House will wish me to express condolences to the family of the hon. Lady's constituent who was murdered. The Post Office pays for safes, alarm systems, including panic buttons, and counter security screens. The cost of additional security measures that are deemed necessary is a matter for the individual post office. I will closely consider what the hon. Lady has said in this case, but the facts are still under investigation.

Sir Anthony Grant

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is a serious matter, and that in my constituency a few years ago a sub-postmistress was murdered in most tragic circumstances? Is my hon. Friend further aware that many attacks are carried out, particularly in remote areas, by people who have first committed car crimes? In one case, thieves towed away a safe using an agricultural vehicle. Will my hon. Friend tell the Home Office that we expect a much more robust attitude from it to the whole question of car crime?

Mr. McLoughlin

I will certainly pass on my hon. Friend's concerns to my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. As my hon. Friend will know, the Government, in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, have taken a number of measures which show their determination to crack down on crime and those who commit it.

Mr. Hain

In respect of the long-term security in the sub-post office network, the Minister will be aware that I am opposed to the privatisation proposals, which we will fight every inch of the way, but may I seriously appeal to him not to break up the Post Office? If the Government are determined to privatise it, may I urge them to keep the Post Office together, as every other post office in the world has been kept together? I realise that there is no accounting cross-subsidy, but there are considerable organisational cross-subsidies and a synergy between the different elements of the Post Office which must be maintained.

Mr. McLoughlin

The hon. Gentleman does not like the fact that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has devised a scheme that is warmly welcomed by the people who run post offices. It is not surprising that the hon. Gentleman opposes our plans for privatisation in this case. He has never supported any of the others. If he had supported this, I would be very worried.