Post Office Ltd.

Mr. Djanogly
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to seek to increase the level of profit made by Post Office Limited.

Mr. McFadden
The Government are keen for Post Office Ltd. to develop its range of products and services and the shareholder executive in this Department is working with the company to examine the scope and opportunities for this. However, it is for the company to determine a business and commercial strategy to increase its profitability.

Mr. Djanogly
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department has made an assessment of the length of time for which the Network Subsidy Payment or a successor arrangement will be required to subsidise Post Office Limited.

Mr. McFadden
The Government recognise that there will be a continuing need for subsidy payments to support the non-commercial part of the post office network beyond March 2011 when the present funding package comes to an end.