§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices closed in Scotland in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area. [71126]
§ Mr. TimmsI am informed by Post Office Ltd. that data on post office closures are not collated on a local authority area basis but will in future be collated on the basis of UK parliamentary constituencies.
I am also informed that data by country on net post office closures are not available before 1998 but that net closures in Scotland by financial year since then were as follows:
Number of closures Year to end March 1999 25 Year to end March 2000 27 Year to end March 2001 63 Year to end March 2002 26
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 13 June 2002,Official Report, column 1388W, on the Post Office, if she will make a statement on the level of performance of first class deliveries between Wirral and London in 2001. [697791
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 17 July 2002]: Targets for the Royal Mail's scheduled services and standards are set in the licence issued by the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) and agreed between Consignia and the Consumer Council for Postal Services (Postwatch). As the level of performance of first class deliveries between Wirral and London is a matter for the company I have asked Consignia chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being proposed for Post Office staff and customers to deal with(a) balance disputes, (b) lost or stolen cards and (c) lost PIN numbers for Post Office card account holders; and if she will make a statement. [70190]
§ Mr. TimmsThese are matters which fall within the day to day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.