HC Deb 08 March 2004 vol 418 cc1284-5W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution her Department is making following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 July 2003, to facilitate the reconfiguration of NIREX as a body entirely independent of the nuclear industry. [158910]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 5 March 2004]: The Department is continuing to work with Defra and other departments to determine the future of Nirex.

Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of Post Office Ltd. [159181]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 5 March 2004]: There are many challenges facing Post Office Ltd. in ensuring that its network of post offices can remain viable and sustainable. The Performance and Innovation Report published in 2000 showed quite starkly that the post office network had not kept pace with the changing needs of its customers and was suffering from lack of investment. A strong management team has been put in place and given the task of turning the company round and building a commercially successful future for the network, by introducing new products and services to bring in new customers.

Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the ability of Post Office Ltd. adequately to serve all those in local communities who need access to local post offices, with particular reference to the Network Reinvention Programme. [159182]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 5 March 2004]: Post Office Ltd. is committed to ensuring that, at the end of the network reinvention programme, nationally at least 95 per cent. of the urban population will still live within one mile of a post office and the majority within half a mile.

Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the conformity of(a) Post Office Ltd. and (b) Postwatch with the guidance offered in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Performance and Innovation Unit Report 2000 in each year since 2000. [159183]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 5 March 2004]: The recommendations of the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit's 2000 Report on modernising the post office network were accepted in full by the Government. In line with the Report, several have now been fully implemented, and implementation of others continues in conjunction with Post Office Ltd. and other stakeholders.

In line with the Performance and Innovation Unit's recommendation, the Postal Services Commission reports annually on the post office network and copies are available in the Libraries of the House.