§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices closed in each of the last 10 years in (i) total and (ii) Greater London. [6765]
§ Mr. Alexander[holding answer 16 October 2001]The information requested on total net closures is set out in the table. I understand from the Post Office that historic data on the post office network before the year ending March 2001 are not held on regional basis. For the year ending March 2001, there were 10 net closures in the London region.
As at 31 March Crown offices Sub-post offices Total Closures in year 1990 1,339 19,532 20,871 159 1991 1,167 19,471 20,638 233 1992 1,019 19,141 20,160 478 1993 917 19,041 19,958 202 1994 800 18,982 19,782 176 1995 699 18,908 19,607 175 1996 653 18,761 19,414 193 1997 606 18,645 19,251 163 1998 601 18,407 19,008 243 1999 600 18,175 18,775 233 2000 598 17,795 18,393 382 2001 597 17,249 17,846 547 I am informed by the Post Office that of the closures of the year ending March 2001, the Post Office designate only four as permanent.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have closed down in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001. [7700]
§ Mr. Alexander[holding answer 15 October 2001]Net closures of post offices in the years 1997 to 2001 were as follows:
Year ending March Number 1997 163 1998 243 1999 233 2000 382 2001 547 I am informed by the Post Office that of the closures of the year ending March 2001, the Post Office designate only four as permanent.