§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have been downgraded in Wales in each year since 1979; and how many fewer people work at those offices now than before their downgrading.
§ Mr. PattieThis is a matter for the Post Office Board. However, the board has informed me that the numbers of Crown post offices in Wales downgraded to sub-post office status in each year since 1979 and the number of staff employed before downgrading and on 18 June 1986 are as follows:
Staff Number of Offices Downgraded Before Downgrading As at 18 June 1986 1979 1 5 3 1980 0 — — 1981 0 — — 1982 1 2 4 1983 0 — — 1984 3 9 7 1985 0 — — 1986* 0 — —- * to 18 June Notes:
1. All staff at Crown Offices are Post Office employees. When the offices were downgraded, the staff were transferred to other duties within the Post Office. Sub-postmasters are not employees of the Post Office but work on an agency basis. They employ and pay assistants as required.
2. The figures for staff as at 18 June 1986 include the sub-postmaster.