§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices there were in (i) Great Britain and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in (1) 1999 and (2) 2000; and if he will make a statement.[126293]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonI understand from the Post Office that at end March 1999 there were 600 crown post offices and 18,175 sub-post offices in the United Kingdom and that the corresponding figures for end March 2000 were 598 crown offices and 17,795 sub-post offices.
I also understand that the most recent data on the numbers of post offices in parliamentary constituencies in Great Britain relate to October 1999. These figures for England and Wales were published on 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 22W, and for Scotland on 20 December 1999, Official Report, column 382W.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices there were in (i) Great Britain and (ii) each region in each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement.[126295]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonI understand from the Post Office that the total numbers of Crown post offices and sub-post offices in the United Kingdom at the end of March of each year since 1987 were:
75W
End March Crown offices Sub-post offices 1987 1,503 19,708 1988 1,499 19,572 1989 1,493 19,537
End March Crown offices Sub-post offices 1990 1,339 19,532 1991 1,167 19,471 1992 1,019 19,141 1993 917 19,041 1994 799 18,975 1995 699 18,908 1996 653 18,761 1997 606 18,645 1998 601 18,407 1999 600 18,175 2000 598 17,795 I also understand from the Post Office that figures for post offices by Post Office Counters regions are only available from April 1994. I have obtained lists of the figures from that date and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.