To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what provision has been made to protect vulnerable post office users who will lose access to post office counter services as a result of branch closure. (178830)

The Government introduced a minimum access criteria to maintain a national network of post offices and, in particular, to protect vulnerable post office users in deprived urban, rural and remote areas:

Nationally, 99 per cent. of the UK population to be within three miles and 90 per cent. of the population to be within one mile of their nearest post office outlet.

99 per cent. of the total population in deprived urban areas across the UK to be within one mile of their nearest post office outlet.

95 per cent. of the total urban population across the UK to be within one mile of their nearest post office outlet.

95 per cent. of the total rural population across the UK to be within three miles of their nearest post office outlet.

In addition, the following criterion will apply at the level of every individual postcode district (of which there are some 2,800 in the UK), establishing a minimum level of coverage at a very local level:

95 per cent. of the population of the postcode district to be within six miles of their nearest post office outlet.

In applying the criteria, Post Office Ltd. will be required to consider the availability of public transport and alternative access to key post office services, local demographics and the impact on local economies. The introduction of these additional factors addresses widespread concerns from respondents to the consultation. Post Office Ltd. will also take account of local conditions such as rivers, mountains and valleys, motorways and sea crossings to islands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post office branches earmarked for closure as part of the Network Change programme were profitable. (182064)

[holding answer 25 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.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post office branches earmarked for closure as part of the Network Change programme have had that decision changed following the public consultation process. (182065)

[holding answer 25 January 2008]: As at 22 January 2008, Post Office Ltd. had announced that 20 proposed post office closures would not proceed, following local public consultations on eight area plans.