To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on Government policy concerning the provision of Post Office facilities within retail multiples, chains and franchises; and what changes there have been in this aspect of Government policy in the last 12 months. [17886]

Decisions on the location and nature of post office facility provision are the operational responsibility of the Post Office. The Government are committed to the maintenance of a nationwide network of post offices and, in response to widespread concern about the Post Office programme of converting Crown post offices to agency status, in May asked the Post Office Chairman to suspend this programme until the review of the Post Office is complete and we are in a position to make informed decisions.