Examination of Witnesses (Questions 320-323)
BERR
5 FEBRUARY 2008
Q320 Chairman: Indeed. That is my
reassurance!
Mr McFadden: The figure so far
is around 17% or 18%. I am not sure where you might get the idea
it is 14% or 15%.
Q321 Chairman: We received some new
evidence late last night from Postwatch, which we have not yet
had time to absorb.
Mr McFadden: It will vary a little:
some may be slightly over the 18%, some may be slightly under,
but it is of that order. So we should not be in a position whereby
we suddenly come to the final couple of area plans and say, "Oh,
my goodness, we'll have to shut far more in these areas."
That should not happen. The difference here may be about the Outreach
services making the difference between the calculations. That
is what it probably is.
Q322 Chairman: As shareholder and
Minister and constituency MP, you would not tolerate any requirement
from our areas to make up a shortfall.
Mr McFadden: I do not think there
will be a need for that, looking at the percentage which has been
picked so far. It is quite easy to do this: just go on the Post
Office website and pick out some of the area plans that have happened
and do the sums, and it is about 17% or 18%.
Q323 Chairman: We are going to draw
things to a conclusion here, because we are going to go back into
private session now and reflect on what we have heard with the
hope of producing quite a rapid report of some kind. If we do
that, I hope we might look to you, as I indicated during a question
on the floor of the House a few weeks ago, to be a little more
rapid than the usual two-month response period to a select committee
report. I hope you will at least consider that possibility.
Mr McFadden: As I said when we
discussed this on the floor of the House, obviously we take the
reports of this Committee seriously.
Chairman: I hope that was a sort of yes.
It was a very skilful answer, Minister. We do hope so. We are
grateful to you for the time and trouble you have given today.
We hope to make a contribution to the ongoing smooth running of
the process.
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