§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to(a) assist and (b) compensate sub-postmasters in Northern Ireland, with special reference to owners of rural post offices, affected by the phasing out of the old system of benefit payments in favour of the automated credit transfer system. [14977]
§ Mr. AlexanderBenefit and pension recipients who wish to collect their benefits in cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so after the change in payment arrangements, beginning in April 2003, by means of Universal Banking Services.
The Government remain committed to maintenance of a nationwide network of post offices and has committed £270 million of support over the next three years to start the implementation of the Performance and Innovation Unit's recommendations, all of which the Government accepted, for modernisation of the post office network.
The PIU report recommendations include financial support for modernisation of the urban and rural networks. Post Office Limited's objective for the urban network of the future is to establish bigger, better, brighter post offices based on viable businesses that deliver adequate returns to subpostmasters. The Government are also committed to providing transitional financial assistance to the rural network and will shortly receive advice from the Postal Services Commission on the best way of channelling assistance to rural post offices.