Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1128917

registered interest
date	03/06/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Post Office Ltd on the closure of Crown Post Offices; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Gedling
tabling member printed	Vernon Coaker
uin	258990
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>BEIS Ministers and officials engage regularly with representatives of Post Office Limited on a range of strategic issues of mutual interest. While the Post Office is publicly owned, it is a commercial business operating in competitive markets. The Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office – to maintain a national network accessible to all and to do so more sustainably for the taxpayer – and allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Therefore, issues relating to the Post Office network, including Crown Post Offices and franchising agreements with WHSmith, are all operational matters for Post Office Limited.</p><p>Most of the UK’s Post Office network of over 11,500 branches (almost 98%) already operates successfully on a franchise or agency basis. Research by Citizens Advice (June 2017) found that franchised branches are delivering to the same, or better, standards.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 06/06/2019 12:59:58 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	360 label Biography information for Lord Coaker

1091124

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What assessment he has made of the effect of recent post office closures on high street footfall.
tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
uin	909882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognise and value the importance that post offices play in communities across the UK and we remain committed to the Post Office network’s future.</p><p> </p><p>There is no programme of Post Office closures and the network has been as its most stable for decades thanks to Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The Post Office have in fact opened 350 branches through their New Network Location programme since April 2017.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 19/03/2019 15:16:15 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1083677

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many post offices are temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	229801
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Temporary closures across the UK is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 12/03/2019 17:55:01 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1083678

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many (a) main, (b) local, (c) community, and (d) outreach post offices are temporarily closed in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales, and (iv) Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	229802
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Temporary closures by branch types across the UK is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 12/03/2019 17:55:51 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1082651

registered interest
date	06/03/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Post Office branches have closed in (a) North West Durham constituency, (b)the North East and (c) the UK since 2010.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Laura Pidcock
uin	229235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government values and recognises the important role that the Post Office plays in North West Durham and other communities across the North East and the UK. This is why we committed in our 2017 Manifesto to safeguard the Post Office network and protect existing rural services. This strategy, backed by Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010, has delivered a branch network that is at its most stable and accessible in decades, with over 11,500 branches.</p><p> </p><p>The Post Office reports annually on the size and shape of the network; the most recent report can be found at <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcorporate.postoffice.co.uk%2Fmodernising-post-office&amp;data=02%7C01%7CPhil.Bennett%40beis.gov.uk%7C69422bc3d53f4714c4bc08d6a317e606%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636875720366755680&amp;sdata=3v0%2FvgCfqZP35RoHDpJ1fJY7GNn5fWdZFDKV9h2Ib9s%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/modernising-post-office</a>. The report shows the number of branches in the network so that the change can be seen year on</p><p>year.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested is set out below. The vast majority of the Post Office network is operated on an agency/franchise basis with branches located in retail premises. The figures show the number of Directly Managed Branches operated by the Post Office and the number of Agency branches.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Number of open post offices in 2010 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Directly Managed Branches </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Agency branches </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total branches </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West Durham Constituency</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>29</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East Government Office Region</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>481</p></td><td><p>491</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UK</p></td><td><p>373</p></td><td><p>11532</p></td><td><p>11905</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Number of open post offices in 2018 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Directly Managed Branches </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Agency branches </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total branches </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West Durham Constituency</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>29</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East Government Office Region</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>484</p></td><td><p>490</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UK</p></td><td><p>262</p></td><td><p>11285</p></td><td><p>11547</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>Source: Post Office Limited</em></p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 229240 question first answered 13/03/2019 17:36:52 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 106908 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4665 label Biography information for Laura Pidcock

1059742

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) Post Office and (b) Crown Post Office closures on the local economy in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	220235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The management of the Post Office network is an operational matter for the Post Office Limited who are responsible for maintaining the network of branches and achieving the accessibility criteria set by Government. The Post Office does not have a branch closure programme, rather they are franchising branches to ensure services remain in communities and are actively looking for areas of the country where there is a demand for Post Office services, with over 350 local branches opened since April 2017 in new locations. Branches can sometimes close for reasons beyond the Post Office’s control and when this happens the Post Office seeks to restore services for the communities affected.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 19/02/2019 16:13:19 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 102489 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1052216

registered interest
date	31/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of Post Office closures on high street footfall in (a) Coventry and (b) other towns and cities across the country.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	215081
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The management of the Post Office network is an operational matter for the Post Office Limited who are responsible for maintaining the network of branches and achieving the accessibility criteria set by Government. The Post Office does not have branch closure programme, rather they are seeking to open new branches. Branches can sometimes change location as a result of the Post Office Network Transformation Programme or franchising.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 05/02/2019 17:56:17 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1045571

registered interest
date	21/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on the provision of postal services where a post office has closed due to unforeseen circumstances.
tabling member constituency	St Helens North
tabling member printed	Conor McGinn
uin	210593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The provision of services and branch closures are operational matters for Post Office Limited. Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 24/01/2019 16:29:52 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4458 label Biography information for Conor McGinn

1041668

registered interest
date	15/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many post offices were classified as under temporary closure by type of branch in each constituency in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	208892
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The management of the network is operational matter for the Post Office Limited.</p><p> </p><p>I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 22/01/2019 12:10:55 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1041669

registered interest
date	15/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what criteria his Department uses to classify a post office under temporary closure.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	208893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The management of the branch network, which includes temporary closures, are operational matters for Post Office Limited.</p><p> </p><p>I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 22/01/2019 12:11:20 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake