To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what minimum number of rural post office branches would be required to ensure that 95 per cent. of the total rural population lived within three miles of a post office branch; and how many post office branches classified as rural there were at the end of financial year 2006-07; (182452)

[holding answer 28 January 2008]: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.