HC Deb 23 October 2003 vol 411 cc673-4W
Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the package of funding for the Post Office Ltd. which the Government has provided to maintain the rural post office network will be spent on Scottish post offices. [133487]

Mr. Timms

The package of support that the Government have made available for the rural post office network is for the maintenance of the rural network across the UK, including Scotland. The Post Office does not account for assistance by country. Of 8,465 rural post offices in the UK, 1,205 are in Scotland.

Overall, the Government have made £450 million available to Post Office Ltd. to maintain a rural post office network for a three year period from 2003–04 to 2005–06. This breaks down as follows:

£ million
Assigned office payments (fixed payments to sub-postmasters) 198
Support costs (provision of computer services, secure cash delivery etc) 227
Flexible fund to trial innovative ways of delivering services 25

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines the Government has set Post Office Ltd. In its use of funds provided to maintain the rural post office network in relation to the devolved regions. [133860]

Mr. Timms

The Government have placed on Post Office Ltd. an obligation to use the funds provided to maintain a rural post office network throughout the UK. This obligation extends to the devolved regions. The obligation is intended to be achieved by ensuring that there are no avoidable closures of post office branches in rural areas before 1 April 2006.

In determining whether an individual closure is avoidable, Post Office Ltd. Will follow the provisions of an agreed code of practice.