§ Lord Gallacherasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the criticisms made in the report of the Post Office Users National Council to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry of 18th June 1987 of their financial policy which requires the Post Office to generate a cash surplus to lend to the Treasury for general exchequer purposes.
§ The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Lord Young of Graffham)As the Post Office Users National Council is aware, the Government do not require the Post Office to generate surpluses to lend to the Treasury, nor do we accept the council's criticisms of the framework of financial control of nationalised industries as it applies to the Post Office.