§ 29. Mr. TylerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the state of sub-post offices in rural areas; and if she will make a statement. [29565]
§ Alun MichaelThe Countryside Agency has investigated the provision of post offices in its triennial surveys of service provision in rural areas. The agency's 461W Rural Services Survey 2000 reported a continued decline in post offices. 93.5 per cent. of rural households live within 2 km (1.25 miles) of a post office, between 1997 and 2000 546 rural post offices closed. A range of initiatives have been introduced by Post Office Ltd. to prevent avoidable closures in rural areas, while initiatives from the Countryside Agency include encouraging mutual support between post office and other services to help improve their chances of remaining viable.