§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what initiatives he will take to retain sub-post office facilities in Wales under their current opening hours regulations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many sub-post offices have closed in Wales in the years 1979–1988 and in 1986–1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThis is a matter for the Post Office Board. Figures are not readily available for the period before 1986. However, I understand that, according to Post Office estimates, in 1979 there were 1,752 sub-post offices in Wales and the Marches. Between 1979 and October 1986 it is estimated that 119 offices were closed; and since October 1986, 28 sub-post offices in the region have been closed. A total of 1,612 sub-post offices remain, including seven offices previously closed but now reopened as 139W community offices operating on a part time basis. Since the Post Office introduced the community office arrangements, the number of closures has reduced from an average of some 15 per year to five during the last 12 months.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many sub-post offices in the counties of Clwyd and Gwynedd are to be reclassified for the purposes of opening hours; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThis is an operational matter for the Post Office. However, I understand that in Gwynedd there are 226 sub-post offices of which 14 have been reclassified as community offices which open part-time. A further 96 full-time offices may be considered for conversion to community offices when they become vacant. In Clwyd there are 209 sub-post offices of which 17 are community offices. A further 50 full-time offices may be considered for conversion to community offices when they become vacant.