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Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines she sets for the administration of funds allocated to Post Office Ltd to maintain the rural post office network. [115915]
Mr. Timms
Rural post offices across the UK will benefit from the £450 million package of financial support for the rural post office network that I announced on 2 December. The money will be administered by POL within the guidelines and parameters set by Government. There are three eligible areas of expenditure for the rural support payment.
Money will be ring-fenced to maintain income levels for sub-postmasters, through maintenance of the assigned office payment.
Money will also be available to meet the front line support services necessary for each and every rural post office to operate—to meet IT operating costs, to provide them with cash and with forms, direct marketing, and the agents information help line.
Additionally there will be a flexible fund to modernise service delivery and pilot innovative ways of delivering services.