HC Deb 19 December 2003 vol 416 cc120-1W
Mr. Jenkins

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Royal Mail is required to conduct environmental impact studies when considering the closure of a large number of post office outlets in urban areas, with particular reference to the effects on the use of private cars to access post offices. [144174]

Mr. Timms

There is no such requirement. The urban network programme is designed to manage change in the urban post office branch network by closing branches where there is oversupply and poor viability and investing in branches which continue to serve the area in order to prevent unmanaged decline of the network. In putting forward proposals under this programme, Post Office Ltd undertakes extensive analysis of an area, using a modelling system showing where customers live and where they shop, and how demand for post office services is currently met. It also shows overlaps in provision where two or more branches are chasing the same customer base and where the network may need to change to create viable businesses while ensuring that branches are still accessible to the customers in the area. Checks are made of local authority plans, environmental and transport information, local shopping habits, and other local developments and features are assessed on site visits. Each closure proposal is subject to a six week public consultation in accordance with the Code of Practice agreed with Postwatch.

At the end of the programme, 95 per cent. of the urban population will still live within a mile of the nearest post office and the majority within half a mile.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what responsibility for defining exceptional circumstances in relation to closure under the network reinvention programme of post offices in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards lies with(a) her Department, (b) the Royal Mail Group, (c) Post Office Ltd. and (d) Postwatch. [145054]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 18 December 2003]: Responsibility for defining exceptional circumstances in relation to closure under the network reinvention programme of post offices in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards and which are more than half a mile from the next post office rests with Post Office Ltd. All closure proposals are, however, subject to public consultation under the Code of Practice agreed between Post Office Ltd. and Postwatch.

Michael Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many proposals for closure have been made under the Urban Reinvention Programme for the Post Office network; how many closures have been made; how many such proposals have been reversed following consultation; what the locations are of post offices which have been reprieved following consultation; and what the reasons were for those branches remaining open;[143559]

(2) how many and what proportion of sub-postmasters (a) have been offered compensation to close under the Urban Reinvention Programme, (b) have applied to close with compensation and (c) have applied to close with compensation and been refused.[143560]

Mr. Timms

[holding answers 17 December 2003]: Decisions on post office closure proposals under the urban reinvention programme following public consultation are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.