Almost 93% of the population live within one mile (and over 99% within three miles) of their nearest Post Office. The branch network is subject to impact from external changes which are normally outside the control of the Post Office, such as postmasters retiring or moving on, or the loss of access to buildings due to lease arrangements expiring. In such instances the time it takes to restore service will vary depending on the individual local circumstances in each case. \u200bThe Government-set Access Criteria ensures that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thirsk and Malton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Hollinrake"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-01-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-01-16T15:42:45.493Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-01-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Post Offices: Closures"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of (a) whether the Post Office is providing and (b) the potential impact of the temporary closure of Post Offices on the provision of a convenient and accessible service to all customers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4523", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine West"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornsey and Wood Green"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine West"} ], "uin" : "117767"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1377898", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1377898/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
While Post Office Limited is publicly owned, it operates as an independent, commercial business. Therefore, details regarding the length of time Post Office branches have been closed in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) each region of England as of 12 November 2021, are an operational matter for Post Office Limited.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4414", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Scully"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sutton and Cheam"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Scully"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-19T16:43:33.103Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Post Offices: Closures"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many temporarily closed Post Office branches have been closed for (a) less than six months, (b) six months to a year, (c) one year and a day to two years and (d) longer than two years in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) each region of England as of 12 November 2021.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4440", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marion Fellows"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Motherwell and Wishaw"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Marion Fellows"} ], "uin" : "73897"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1354275", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1354275/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
BEIS does not hold information on specific postcodes of post office branch closures.<\/p>
<\/p>
A list of open post office branches can be found in the post office network report: https://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/secure-corporate/our-network/post-office-network-reports/#<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4414", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Scully"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sutton and Cheam"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Scully"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-09-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-09-16T13:46:33.943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-09-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Post Offices: Closures"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the postcodes of the 260 post office branches which were listed as closed as of 30 June 2021.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"}
], "uin" : "45853"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1343755", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1343755/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " While Post Office Limited is publicly owned, it operates as an independent, commercial business. Therefore, details regarding the branch type and the number of closed Post Offices in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland as of 5 July 2021, are an operational matter for Post Office Limited.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4414", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Scully"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sutton and Cheam"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Scully"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "27199"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-13T15:52:17.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Post Offices: Closures"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Post Office branches have closed in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last twelve months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4440", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marion Fellows"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Motherwell and Wishaw"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Marion Fellows"}
], "uin" : "27200"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1272273", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1272273/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The management of the Post Office network, including the number and type of branches open and closed at any one time, is an operational matter for the Post Office, and therefore the Government does not hold this information.<\/p> It is, however, a requirement under Provision 11 of the Postal Services Act 2011 for the Post Office to publish an annual report about the Post Office branch network and customer accessibility. This report is also laid before Parliament.<\/p>