To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with (a) the Post Office and (b) others on the timetable for the Network Change Programme consultation; what changes have been made following these discussions; and if he will make a statement. (170969)

The timetable for the Network Change Programme was set out in July of this year. In line with the Cabinet Office guidelines on consultations during local elections POL have now agreed to suspend the process during the local election campaign. As a consequence of these changes, the start of consultations and announcements of decisions on plans which were previously scheduled for after 1 May 2008 are put back by four weeks on average.

It remains POL’s intention to complete the Network Change Programme by the end of next year.