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Written question asked by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Thursday, 19 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 March 2026. It was answered by Blair McDougall (Labour) on Thursday, 26 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Post Offices: Access

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in reference to the statement of 25 February 2026 on the Government Response to the Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office, what assessment his Department has made of whether the existing Access Criteria remain sufficient to ensure equitable access to Post Office services in rural, coastal and deprived urban areas; whether changes to those criteria are under consideration; and how the Government will monitor compliance with those requirements at a regional and local level.

Answer

The Government’s Green Paper consultation confirmed that the public, especially rural communities and small businesses, rely on their local Post Office for essential services. We are therefore committed to retaining the 11,500‑branch minimum network and existing access criteria to ensure nationwide access to essential services.

In the Green Paper consultation response, the Government explicitly confirms that all six Access Criteria will remain in place, and performance will be monitored by the Government through regular reporting and Post Office’s published annual Network Report.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
122117
Session
2024-26
Related items
Subjects
Access Equality Post offices
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk