Examination of Witnesses (Question Numbers
240-241)
FEDERATION OF
SMALL BUSINESSES
31 MARCH 2009
Q240 Lembit Opik: You do your
job, I will do mine. Only joking! Obviously there is the other
list of things which you think would be nice to have, but it is
the things beneath which it just would not be worth a business
working with. Sorry, Lindsay, I did not mean to sound so rude,
I do apologise for that. I have one more question and it is this:
some of the things in your list of proposed business activities,
it seems to me, could end up being internalised because of IT
developments in firms. The sort of thing I have in mind is the
small business hub things that could end up simply being things
you could do through a desktop in the end. Have you any consideration
about the extent to which technology could undermine the long-term
viability of the sort of business activity that you described?
Mr Davenport: The Post Office
did do a survey and, to be frank, I cannot remember whether it
was the Post Office itself or whether it was Royal Mail that did
it, but it was about putting internet connections into post offices.
Once you have got that internet connection in every post office
in the full sense of a broadband connection in the post office,
it means that the post office from a touch screen scenario could
do an enormous amount of things and would encourage people to
go to it because they do not have to pay for it because it is
a screen and they bang on whatever service they want, and it gives
them an answer, it gives them a guide, and so they go to the post
office, they go to the area, it increases business in the area,
it increases business in the post office because generally, "While
I am here, I will do this or that or the other." Yet that
got so far along the line and then it was quietly shelved. I do
not know why that was but it seemed to me that that would have
been an ideal opportunity to have streamlined the post office
and made it more 21st century and given it greater access to its
community. It would touch all the buttons but it did not happen.
Lembit Opik: If I conclude with
this request, and I am ashamed to do it after my outburst at Lindsay,
probably about the fluffies, would it be possible when you write
to us to make a list of things you think would never be internalised
to small businesses, things which you just think however good
technology you would still rather be able to go to, to use your
phrase, the business hub, which would be separate to the very
minimum requirement of things that you think might be able to
do that.
Q241 Chairman: I am anxious because
I do want to put some emphasis in our final report on the role
of the Post Office in supporting businesses as well as vulnerable
individuals.
Mr Davenport: Do you have a timescale
for this, Peter?
Chairman: We will discuss it afterwards
with the Clerks, but we are not in too much of a rush, do not
worry. Unless my colleagues have any supplementaries they wish
to ask—
Mr Hoyle: It has been absolutely excellent.
Chairman: We are most grateful to you,
thank you very much indeed for your evidence.
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