§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the proportion of the(a) turnover and (b) profit of sub-post offices in Paisley, South that accrued from benefit transaction charges in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [111138]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThese figures are commercially confidential but I understand from the Post Office that, of the 17 post offices in the Paisley, South constituency, 12 derive 40 per cent. or more of their workload from Benefits Agency-related work.
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rural(a) banks and (b) post offices closed in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [110711]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonI understand from the Post Office that the numbers of rural post office closures are as follows:
Year to March 1992 33 1993 163 1994 160 1995 55 1996 131 1997 149 1998 235 1999 214 I understand from the British Bankers' Association that data on bank closures is not maintained in a form which identifies rural locations. The numbers of bank branch closures in total are as follows:
947W
Year to December 1992 522 1993 622 1994 432 1995 646 1996 820 1997 680 1998 355
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many pensioners he estimates use rural post offices for collecting pensions; and if he will make a statement. [110710]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Post Office does not hold details of benefit recipients individually or by category.
§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to improve access to post offices for people in rural areas. [110781]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Government are committed to ensuring that post offices are equipped and re-designed to face the future, and that they are thereby able to continue to play their role as an essential part of the country's social fabric. For the first time, under provisions in the Postal Services Bill, the Government will issue access criteria for post office counter services to ensure reasonable access to these services, particularly in rural areas and areas of social deprivation. Details of the access criteria will follow the conclusion of the work by the Performance and Innovation Unit.
§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the population lives(a) within one mile of a post office and (b) over three miles from a post office in (i) rural areas and (ii) urban areas. [110782]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Post Office have provided the following information:
Percentage Distance Urban Rural Northern Ireland 0.25 mile 49 19 29 0.50 mile 92 52 60 1 mile 100 85 83 2 miles 100 97 96 3 miles 100 99 100 5 miles 100 100 100 Rural areas comprise settlements of less than 6,300 people.
Data for Northern Ireland are not split between urban and rural categories.
§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to help all sub-post offices to diversify into(a) bureau de change services, (b) car tax renewals, (c) National Lottery on-line and (d) mobile phone top-up cards; and if he will make a statement. [109479]
§ Mr. Byers[holding answer 11 February 2000]: A bureau de change service, introduced in 1996 and providing a wide range of currencies and travellers cheques, is available from all post offices nationwide. Currently 631 post offices offer an on demand bureau de change service whereby foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be bought over the counter. Bureau de change service is available to order throughout the rest of the network and provides delivery within four working days.
The number of vehicle re-licensing offices has increased from some 2,000 in the early eighties to the present 4,000.
948WNational Lottery on-line terminals are sited in 4,303 post offices, of which 3,771 are sub-post offices and approximately 1,500 are located in rural areas.
Mobile phone pre-pay vouchers are currently available from some 4,800 post offices. I am pleased to be able to inform the right hon. Member that this service will be available to a further 1,800 post offices by April.
§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the additional income which will accrue to post offices from cash dispensers to be installed in post offices over the next two years; and if he will make a statement. [109478]
§ Mr. Byers[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The additional income accruing to post offices from the installation of cash dispensers will be dependent on the size and location of the post offices concerned.