Post Offices (Hansard, 17 February 2000)

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the ATMs earmarked for post offices have been installed; and if he will list their whereabouts. [110175]

§ Mr. Alan Johnson
I understand from the Post Office that the first of the ATMs under the new partnerships will be installed during the summer. The sites are still being agreed but they will be located at post offices across the whole of the UK, in both rural and urban areas.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria will be used to decide the location of the ATMs to be sited at sub-post offices. [110174]

§ Mr. Alan Johnson
I understand from the Post Office that all offices in the Post Office network will be considered for an ATM. The selection process and criteria used for selection are commercial and operational matters for the Post Office and its partners.
632W

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Post Office and banks concerning(a) the criteria to be used for locating ATMs in post offices and (b) the additional income to sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses ATMs are planned to generate. [110176]

§ Mr. Alan Johnson
These are commercial and operational matters for the Post Office.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in each year since 1979, how many sub-post offices have closed; and how many of that number closed because no-one was prepared to take the business over following the(a) death and (b) retirement of the sub-postmaster or sub-postmistress. [110177]

§ Mr. Alan Johnson
I understand from the Post Office that the numbers of sub-post offices which have closed in each financial year since 1978–79 are as follows:

Number of sub-post offices Closures in the year

1978–79 21,213 21

1979–80 21,056 157

1980–81 20,894 162

1981–82 20,832 62

1982–83 20,734 98

1983–84 20,499 235

1984–85 20,110 389

1985–86 19,796 314

1986–87 19,708 88

1987–88 19,572 136

1988–89 19,537 35

1989–90 19,532 5

1990–91 19,471 61

1991–92 19,141 330

1992–93 19,041 100

1993–94 18,982 59

1994–95 18,826 156

1995–96 18,761 65

1996–97 18,645 116

1997–98 18,407 238

1998–99 18,175 232

No detailed records are kept on reasons for closure. In many cases closure would have been the result of no one being prepared to take over the business.

	Number of sub-post offices	Closures in the year
1978–79	21,213	21
1979–80	21,056	157
1980–81	20,894	162
1981–82	20,832	62
1982–83	20,734	98
1983–84	20,499	235
1984–85	20,110	389
1985–86	19,796	314
1986–87	19,708	88
1987–88	19,572	136
1988–89	19,537	35
1989–90	19,532	5
1990–91	19,471	61
1991–92	19,141	330
1992–93	19,041	100
1993–94	18,982	59
1994–95	18,826	156
1995–96	18,761	65
1996–97	18,645	116
1997–98	18,407	238
1998–99	18,175	232