To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that no further post offices are closed in villages and towns without commercial banks until arrangements are made for widespread post office banking. [HL2312]

The Government will not support a further programme of post office closures, and will continue to subsidise the non-commercial network beyond 2011. But neither the Government nor Post Office Ltd can prevent the closure of individual post offices where, for example, a sub-postmaster decides to retire or resign and a replacement cannot be found. In such cases Post Office Ltd will consider alternatives where possible, which may include one of the Outreach service options.