§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans she has to carry out a rural-proofing analysis of Postcomm's proposals to reform the postal industry; and if she will make a statement; [34854]
(2) what assessment she has made of the impact on rural communities of Postcomm's proposals to reform the postal industry; and if she will make a statement. [34855]
§ Mr. AlexanderI have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to PQ No. 31275 from my hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, East, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart), at column 1126W.
Postcomm's document "Proposals for effective competition in UK postal services", published on Thursday 31 January, is a public consultation. I understand that the Countryside Agency, the Government's statutory adviser on rural issues, intends to respond to Postcomm on the proposals put forward in that document and will include in that response an analysis of the impact of the proposals on rural areas which it will also make public.