§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has made to Post Office Counters Ltd. about the impact of the network re-invention programme on the number and location of post offices. [152834]
§ Mr. Alan Johnson[holding answer 9 March 2001]: The size of the post office network and precise location of post offices is an operational matter for the Post Office, taking account of the formal requirement to maintain the rural network and to prevent any avoidable closures of rural offices and of the Postal Services Commission's advice on accessibility of public post offices.