HC Deb 12 January 2004 vol 416 c513W
Mr. Colman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will direct the management of the Post Office to extend the consultation period for those Post Office branch closures which it has put out for consultation over the Christmas period by at least two weeks. [146317]

Mr. Timms

Post Office Ltd. carries out its formal public consultation in accordance with the Code of Practice agreed with Postwatch. With the move from individual proposals to area closure proposals by parliamentary constitutency last autumn, the consultation period was extended from four to six weeks.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been made available in each year since 2001–02 to the devolved regions to support post office branches in deprived areas; and how much has been made available for future years. [144804]

Mr. Timms

The funding arrangements and allocations to support post office branches in deprived areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations. I understand that, in December 2002, the Scottish Parliament allocated £2 million for its programme to support post office branches in deprived areas of Scotland.

Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the six-week public consultation period for closure proposals under the urban network reinvention programme includes(a) public holidays, (b) Saturdays and (c) Sundays. [147272]

Mr. Timms

I understand from Post Office Ltd. that the six-week consultation period for Post Office closures includes public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays.

John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many responses were received to the consultation on the proposed closure of Stenhouse Cross Post Office; of these, how many(a) supported and (13) opposed the closure; and when she expects a final decision to be taken on the closure. [144823]

Mr. Timms

Proposals put out to consultation for, and subsequent decisions on, post office closures under the urban network reinvention programme are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.