§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what means individuals will be able to exercise their proposed right of access to a post office in circumstances where an existing postmaster or postmistress is retiring and no other person is willing to continue the business. [105150]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonFor the first time the Government will be setting criteria for access to postal services, and there will be a requirement in law for the new Postal Services Commission to monitor these criteria to ensure that they are being met, and to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of any concerns about access to postal services in local areas. Particular attention will be paid to rural and socially deprived areas. Following work by the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU), access criteria for Post Office services will be announced within the next few months.
Sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses own their businesses and any decision to sell or retire is a matter for them. But our proposals will ensure that the effects of their decision on the provision of services in local areas can be considered. Under our proposals, where an individual sub-post office closes, individuals will be able to appeal to the Post Office Users' Council about the provision of post offices in their area if they do not receive a satisfactory response from the Post Office. Using the access criteria as a benchmark, the Users' Council, through the Commission, will take up specific cases with the Post Office to ensure the access criteria are met.