Select Committee on Business and Enterprise Tenth Report


1  Introduction


1. We have published Reports on the Post Office network change programme twice so far this year. Our first Report looked at the progress of the programme, in which the post office network will be reduced to some 11,500 branches.[1] Our second commented on the responses to the first Report, and raised particular concerns about the financial transparency of Post Office Ltd and Royal Mail Group, its parent company, about the adequacy of funding for outreach services, and about the relationship between Post Office Ltd and mail services.[2] Mail services are currently the subject of two reviews, one run by Postcomm and the second by an independent panel, chaired by Richard Hooper. We made the unusual decision to take oral evidence from Post Office Ltd and Postwatch between publishing a report and receiving the Government response. This evidence has confirmed two of our concerns: the costs to Post Office Ltd of delivering Royal Mail Group services; and the financial support to sub-postmasters for providing outreach services. We believe it should be drawn to the attention of the House and the wider public.


1   Third Report of Session 2007-08, Post Office Closure Programme, HC 292-I Back

2   Sixth Report of Session 2007-08, After the Network Change Programme: the future of the post office network, HC 577 Back


 
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Prepared 25 July 2008