§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the principal activities of his Department and its agencies which provide business for(a) Crown post offices and (b) other post offices; if he will assess whether the level of business generated in each case is likely to increase or decrease over the next five years; and which new areas of business for post offices are likely to be developed by his Department and its agencies over the same period. [99558]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe information is as follows:
General activities
My Department uses the Royal Mail for postal services. The level of business is likely to be affected by the increased use of the internet and e-mail.Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency
The DVLA collects vehicle excise duty through 4,000 post offices in Great Britain—of these 584 are Crown Offices. All 18,500 post offices issue licence savings stamps, application forms and 135W information leaflets. Trials are to be introduced under the current contract with Post Office Counters Ltd. to improve service levels and DVLA and POCL are discussing the possibility of introducing an over the counter application form and identification checking service. POCL will be invited to bid when the contract is re-tendered in 2002.Vehicle Inspectorate
The Inspectorate, through the DVLA contract, uses the post office network for relicensing vehicles by checking the validity of MOT certificates. The Inspectorate is developing an MOT computerisation project and is exploring ways in which the post office can support the project. This may reduce the level of special deliveries made by the post office on behalf of the Inspectorate.