§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements he will put in place to pay benefits in urban areas where the Royal Mail has closed post office outlets and no services are available within two miles of claimants' homes. [144175]
§ Mr. PondThe Government are committed to doing all they can to ensure a viable Post Office network for the future. We are investing very substantial sums in supporting the transformation of the network—some £2 billion in total over the next five years. The Post Office in turn has guaranteed that, even after the urban reinvention programme, 95 per cent. of people living in urban areas will be within a mile of a Post Office, the majority within half a mile.
Direct Payment and the introduction of universal banking services has provided customers with a choice of options as to how they can access their money including, cash machines, via the cashback facilities offered by some retailers, over the counter at banks and building societies and through Post Office branches.