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Post Office Closures

Postwatch, the consumer body, is closely involved in the preparation of the plans. Several factors are taken into account, and I shall come on to the way in which the process of network change is working. Let me answer some of the questions about that, and about timing and the six-week consultation period. It is true that representations were made to the Government about making the six-week consultation period 12 weeks or longer; that view was taken in the report by the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, and by others. We had a decision to take. The process is already taking 18 months, and we felt that to increase the consultation period significantly would increase uncertainty in the network. We had to take a decision that would give the right balance, and we think that a six-week period achieves that. The six weeks are for public consultation, but before that stage the area plans seek input from Postwatch, local authorities and sub-postmasters. It is then that the six-week consultation process begins. I want to be clear about what the process involves. It is essentially about how, not whether, the plan is implemented. That was made clear to Members in the letter that they received from the Post Office in July, setting out the closure process. It stated:"““As you will understand, the consultation in respect of the Local Area Plan will not concern the principle of the need for change of the Network, nor its broad extent and distribution...Rather consultation will be seeking representations on the most effective way in which Government policy—as set out in the Response Documents—can be best implemented in the particular Area in question.””" The first area plan went out to consultation on 2 October. Five public consultations have now closed. The first closures will be announced next week and under the current timetable the final process should be completed around the end of next year. I understand from Post Office Ltd that evidence from the initial area plans shows that on average, about 15 per cent. of the original closure proposals have been changed following input by local authorities and stakeholders. As I said at the beginning of my remarks, the process is not easy and I appreciate the concerns raised in communities. Post office closures have been happening for some years. They are happening in other countries, too, precisely because of the lifestyle changes that I have talked about. We have tried through the process to manage the reduction in the size of the network, to ensure reasonable access criteria for the population, to introduce new access services in some areas and to give Post Office Ltd some financial certainty.