§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average percentage decline in post office business between March 2000 and March 2003 was for post offices in(a) the top 10 per cent. of urban deprived wards and (b) urban areas; and what percentage of the decline during that period she attributes to changes in the benefits system. [156482]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 26 February 2004]: The information sought relates to operational matters and I have asked the Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd. to reply direct to the hon. Member.
§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been paid in compensation to sub-post masters and mistresses of closing post offices; and how many post offices have been closed in each of the last five years. [158586]
1079W
§ Mr. TimmsI understand from Post Office Ltd. that net closures of post offices in each of the last five years were:
Year to end March 1999 233 2000 382 2001 547 2002 262 2003 1345 1Including 102 closures under the urban reinvention programme which commenced in October 2002. Compensation is paid only to those subpostmasters whose office close under the terms of the urban reinvention programme. Post Office Ltd. produces data on branch closures, including those under the urban reinvention programme, on a quarterly basis. The total amount paid in compensation to subpostmasters in respect of the 694 post offices closed under the urban reinvention programme to end December 2003, the latest quarter for which this information is available was £38,111,410.
§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the part played by(a) Postwatch and (b) Post Office Limited in the Urban Network Reinvention Programme. [158594]
§ Mr. TimmsPost Office Ltd.'s urban reinvention programme is essential if a viable and sustainable countrywide post office network is to be maintained and to meet the changing needs of customers. The company will ensure that at the end of the programme, at least 95 per cent. of the population in urban areas will still live within a mile of their nearest post offices.
Postwatch has an important role in the programme in examining each individual closure proposals and monitoring the programme overall. I understand that, of some 1,600 closure proposals notified to them, over 200 have been withdrawn, deferred or modified during or after the consultation process.
Although the vast majority of urban reinvention closure proposals have attracted little criticism, concerns expressed about the consultation arrangements led me to ask Post Office Ltd. to review the arrangements and to propose changes to make them more inclusive and responsive. These changes were announced in my written statement of 5 February.