§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to make an announcement on the future of the rural post office network subsidy. [168226]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) report on the future of the post office network recommended that the Postal Services Commission should advise the Government on the main options for the policy framework after 2006. The Government is currently considering the advice and will take decisions on the shape of the rural post office network after 2006 in good time to allow for a smooth transition from the current support arrangements.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) rural and (b) urban post offices have (i) closed and (ii) been opened since 1997. [168227]
§ Mr. TimmsI understand from Post Office Ltd. that details of net post office closures in the United Kingdom, recorded by urban/rural classification are only available from March 2000 and are as follows:
Post office closures Urban Rural 2000–01 106 441 2001–02 68 194 2002–03 1230 115 1Includes 102 closures under the urban network reinvention programme. Post Office Ltd. is yet to report a detailed breakdown of closures for the financial year 2003–04. The latest quarter for which information on post office closures is available (December 2003)—reveals that net closures were as follows:
2003–04–to end of December 2003 Urban Rural 1642 132 1Includes 592 closures under the urban network reinvention programme.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of rural post offices protected from closure by the rural network subsidy. [168228]
§ Mr. TimmsNo such estimate has been carried out. All rural sub-post offices benefit from the Government's package of support which is used to maintain the 'Assigned Office Payments' to sub-postmasters and to fund the front-line services necessary for each and every post office to operate—for example IT and cash. Without Government support, large parts of the rural network would have faced closure.
The funding ensures that, at least until 2006, Post Office Ltd. can maintain the rural network and prevent avoidable closures. Nevertheless, some closures are 684W inevitable, for example where a sub-postmaster or sub-postmistress retires and no one can be found to take on the service. However, where a rural office closes permanently, alternative forms of providing the post office service in that area will be explored.