To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the departmental annual report for 2006, page 188, J8, how much has been paid in fees to advisers in connection with the proposed restructuring of the post office network, broken down by (a) adviser and (b) category of advice; and what estimate he has made of the final overall expenditure in relation to such advice. (145996)

Since December 2005, the Department has used Deloitte and Herbert Smith to provide financial and legal advice respectively relating to POL and the Government's support for the company. The individual fees for these advisers are commercially confidential. The combined final estimate for the cost of this advice is just under £800,000.