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5 Dec 2007 : Column 1335W—continued
Post Offices: Closures
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the economic impact on local business resulting from the closure of post offices was taken into account when deciding on the policy to close 2,500 post offices. [169685]
Mr. McFadden: The Government's response to the public consultation on the post office network made clear that Post Office Ltd.'s local proposals for, and decisions on, closures will need to reflect consideration of a range of factors including the impact on local economies as well as compliance with the access criteria set by the Government and have taken account of significant local geographic constraints.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what terms he has laid down for specialist staff to be selected, trained and employed in those post offices which are being moved into WH Smith retail operations. [169971]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if his Department will provide additional resources for public transport in those areas where post offices are closed. [170124]
Mr. McFadden: The Department does not provide funding for public transport. However, as the Government's response to the public consultation on the post office network made clear that Post Office Ltd.'s local proposals for, and decisions on, closures will need to reflect consideration of a range of factors including the availability of public transport as well as compliance with the access criteria set by the Government.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of the travel times to alternative post offices quoted in the documents supporting the post office’s network change programme. [170131]
Mr. McFadden: None. This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how the proportion of elderly people in affected communities was reflected in the Government’s criteria for post office closures. [170132]
Mr. McFadden: The Government’s response to the public consultation on the post office network made clear that Post Office Ltd.’s local proposals for, and decisions on, closures will need to reflect consideration of a range of factors such as local demographics including the age profile of communities in the areas affected as well compliance with he access criteria set by the Government. The age profiles of communities affected by proposals in the Sussex area plan are included in the individual branch access reports prepared and published by Post Office Ltd.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will reconsider the closure of post offices where there is significant public opposition to the closure plans. [170134]
Mr. McFadden: Final decisions on post office closures rest with Post Office Ltd. However Post Office Ltd. has set up with Postwatch, the consumer body representing customers, a three stage review process for contentious cases, with increasing seniority of the respective Post Office Ltd. and Postwatch representatives. Last week, Post Office Ltd. announced an additional stage whereby, for those difficult cases where no agreement could be reached in the earlier review stages, Allan Leighton, chairman of Royal Mail Group, will review the issues and reach a final decision.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what account will be taken of the views of local people when considering which post offices in Sussex should close under the plans announced this month. [170417]
Mr. McFadden: During each public consultation significant volumes of comments and correspondence are received from local people, their representatives and other interested bodies. All information and views received during the consultation period is carefully considered before final decisions are made.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what account the Government plans to take of the proportion of elderly residents in deciding in which areas to close post offices. [170429]
Mr. McFadden: In formulating its area plan proposals for post office closures and new outreach services, Post Office Ltd. is required to consider the age profile of residents in the areas affected. The age profiles of communities affected by proposals in the Sussex area plan are included in the individual branch access reports prepared and published by Post Office Ltd.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of whether the proposed closures of post offices in East Worthing and Shoreham meet the criteria on the needs of local people in the area. [170516]
Mr. McFadden:
It is for Post Office Ltd. to ensure that its area plan proposals for post office closures and new outreach service meet the Government criteria and consider the wider factors set out in the Government’s response to the national public consultation on the post office network. In addition, Postwatch will make
its own assessment of the proposals in the context of the criteria and the local consultation provides a further opportunity for the needs of local people to be voiced and any new or additional information to be brought to Post Office Ltd.’s attention before final decisions are made.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will ask the Office of Government Commerce to review the consultation process begun by Post Office Ltd. to close post offices in Sussex. [170518]
Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd.’s consultation process for area plan proposals for post office closures and new outreach services in Sussex and elsewhere follows the framework set out in the Government response to the national public consultation on the post office network. The memorandum of understanding between Post Office Ltd. and Postwatch sets out more detailed arrangements for the local public consultation process.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidelines were followed by Post Office Ltd. in the consultation period on the closure of post offices in Sussex. [170523]
Mr. McFadden: As required by the code, the Government conducted a 12 week consultation on their proposals for the Post Office network which considered the principle of whether there should be post office closures and new outreach services. Post Office Ltd.’s six week local public consultations on its area plans are on how changes are to be implemented at the local level. Before these local public consultations begin, Post Office Ltd. seeks detailed input from Postwatch, local authorities and sub-postmasters in developing its proposals. I understand that Post Office Ltd. takes the view that the combination of the pre-consultation phase and the subsequent six week of local public consultation period enables sufficiently robust consultations to take place at a local area level. I also understand from the company that the level of response to those local consultations which have now closed has been high.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform who decided that the consultation period for post office closures would be six weeks; and for what reasons that period was decided on. [170642]
Mr. McFadden: The Government decided that the consultation period for post office closures would be six weeks as set out in their response to the national public consultation on the post office network. The early stages of developing Post Office Ltd.’s area plan proposals post office closures and new outreach service involve detailed plan development discussions with Postwatch and the involvement of local authorities in advance of formal public consultation. When combined with the subsequent six weeks of public consultation, the Government believe that this enables sufficiently robust consultations to take place at a local area level. We are also mindful of the fact that the organisation representing sub-postmasters argued for a speedy local consultation to minimise uncertainty for sub-postmasters and customers.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect of local post office closures in Guildford and Waverley on the accessibility of services for local residents. [170791]
Mr. McFadden: The access criteria set out in the Government's response to the public consultation on the post office network are designed to maintain a national network and reasonable access to post office services. In developing its area plan proposals for post office closures and new outreach service, Post Office Ltd must give consideration to a range of factors such as availability of public transport and alternative access to key post office services, local demographics and the impact on local economies as well as any local geographical constraints and must also ensure compliance with the access criteria set by the Government.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment has been made of the effect of post office closures where the local community has bought the shop which incorporates a post office. [170792]
Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd's local decisions on closures will need to reflect consideration of a range of factors such as the impact on local economies as well compliance with the access criteria set by the Government. The effect of the closure of individual post offices on any associated retail business will not be known until the implementation of Post Office Ltd's network change plan for that area is completed.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons there will be no consultations on post office closures between April and 2 May 2008; and if he will make a statement. [170970]
Mr. McFadden: The normal purdah arrangements, set out in Cabinet Office guidance which has been observed by successive Administrations of both parties for many years, take effect every year during local elections. The guidance clearly states that consultations, and decisions relating to them, should not be launched in an election period and this will apply from 7 April to 2 May in respect of the local elections to be held in England and Wales on 1 May 2008.
Post Offices: Hampshire
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the timetable is for the Post Office to finalise assessments of all of its sub-post offices in Hampshire; and if he will make a statement. [165865]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I understand that the consultation period for post offices in Hampshire ended on 26 November, and that final decisions on closures are expected to be announced by POL on 4 January 2008.
Post Offices: Sussex
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the future viability of businesses currently housing post offices once they are removed under the closure plans in Sussex. [169684]
Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd.’s local decisions on closures will need to reflect consideration of a range of factors such as the impact on local economies as well compliance with the access criteria set by the Government. The effect of the closure of individual post offices on any associated retail business will not be known until the implementation of Post Office Ltd.’s network change plan for Sussex is completed.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the economic effect on local businesses of the closure of post offices in Sussex. [169686]
Mr. McFadden: In developing its area plan proposals for post office closures in Sussex, Post Office Ltd. is required to consider a range of factors including the impact on local economies as well compliance with the access criteria set by the Government.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what criteria the Government has set out to ensure that people with disabilities have continued access to post office facilities under the proposals to close services in Sussex. [169687]
Mr. McFadden: The access criteria set out in the Government’s response to the public consultation on the post office network are designed to maintain a national network and reasonable access to post office services. It is the responsibility of individual post offices to meet the requirements of disability discrimination legislation with regard to access to their premises for disabled customers.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will take steps to ensure that full information on the proposed closure of post offices in Sussex be delivered to every household in affected areas. [170122]
Mr. McFadden: At the start of each local public consultation, Post Office Ltd. publishes full information on its area plan proposals for post office closures and new outreach services on its website and all post office branches in the area display posters for customers. Those offices likely to be affected by the proposals also provide leaflets giving information about the changes proposed for that office.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the proposed closure of post offices in Sussex arising from increased travelling. [170123]
Mr. McFadden: As stated in the Government's response to the public consultation on the post office network, closures will principally affect a combination of branches in areas of overprovision. In taking a strategic overview of service provision in areas of over-provision, Post Office Ltd. will ensure that people will be able to find an alternative branch nearby and the vast majority will still be within walking distance of their nearest office. With the least used offices, the numbers of people affected, will, by the nature of the offices, be low. I understand from Post Office Ltd. that under the area plan proposals for Sussex, 99.6. per cent. of the population will either see no change to the branch they currently use or will be within one mile of an alternative branch.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what pre-consultation preparation (a) the Government required and (b) was undertaken by Royal Mail before the public consultation on post office closures in Sussex was launched. [170126]
Mr. McFadden: In its response to the public consultation on the post office network, the Government made clear that in the early stages of developing its area plan proposals Post Office Ltd. would have detailed discussions with Postwatch and seek input from local authorities. In developing the Sussex area plan, Post Office Ltd. has received input from Postwatch and from local authorities
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will ask Post Office Ltd. to extend the period of consultation on the closure of post offices in Sussex to at least 12 weeks. [170133]
Mr. McFadden: As the Government’s response to the national public consultation on the post office network explained the arguments for a longer local consultation period were considered but the Government decided to confirm their decision for a six week local consultation period reflecting the approach followed during the latter stages of the urban reinvention programme. The early stages of developing Post Office Ltd.’s area plan proposals involve detailed plan development discussions with Postwatch and the involvement of local authorities in advance of formal public consultation. When combined with the subsequent six weeks of public consultation, the Government believe that this will enable sufficiently robust consultations to take place at a local area level. We are also mindful of the fact that the organisation representing sub-postmasters argued for a speedy local consultation to minimise uncertainty for sub-postmasters and customers.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will visit East Worthing and Shoreham to discuss the Government’s criteria used to determine post office network changes with local residents. [170416]
Mr. McFadden: The Government’s criteria for post office network changes were confirmed in their response to the national public consultation on the post office network. The Government’s response is available on the Department’s website.
Post Offices: West Midlands
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Post Office Network Change Programme consultation will begin for the Herefordshire, Worcestershire and West Midlands area; and if he will make a statement. [170971]
Mr. McFadden: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that the local public consultation on its area plan for Herefordshire, Worcestershire and West Midlands is scheduled to start on 27 August 2008.
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