That this House is concerned at the decline and destruction of local communities caused by the closure of local facilities, such as doctors surgeries, schools, benefit offices and leisure and sports centres as well as shops and public houses and by excess and unnecessary road traffic delivering food and beer from long distances and causing air and noise pollution as well as extra emissions of carbon dioxide; notes that the Local Services and Facilities Bill introduced by the honourable Member for Brecon and Radnorshire with cross-party support will require impact assessments to be drawn up before facilities are closed and will then allow local people to make representatives either to prevent the closure or to require action to be taken to ameliorate the adverse effects, and will also require steps to be taken to reduce food miles and beer miles; and therefore urges the Government to ensure that time can be found for the Bill to be debated.

That this House is concerned at the decline and destruction of local communities caused by the closure of local facilities, such as doctors surgeries, schools, benefit offices and leisure and sports centres as well as shops and public houses and by excess and unnecessary road traffic delivering food and beer...

That this House is very concerned by the proposed closure of Bermondsey Street Post Office in the London Borough of Southwark on 9th February; notes that Bermondsey Street is believed to be the oldest sub-post office in the country; recognises the vital importance of this post office in serving the growing community in and around Bermondsey Street; urges Post Office Ltd to listen to the views of all local people and their representatives during the consultation process; urges the Government to reverse its policy of mass closure of sub-post offices; and calls on the government to accept the essential and continuing need for this and other sub-post offices throughout London boroughs to remain in operation.

That this House is very concerned by the proposed closure of Bermondsey Street Post Office in the London Borough of Southwark on 9th February; notes that Bermondsey Street is believed to be the oldest sub-post office in the country; recognises the vital importance of this post office in serving the...

That this House notes Department for Work and Pension plans to close the Sutton Disability Benefits Centre; further notes that the centre provides an invaluable service to disabled people in an area that stretches from the Isle of Wight to South London; and that no business plan has been produced that justifies the closure; further notes that there has been no co-ordination with other departments to facilitate redeployment of Department for Work and Pension staff; and calls on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review the closure decision, to protect the service to disabled people and to deliver value for money for the taxpayer.

That this House notes Department for Work and Pension plans to close the Sutton Disability Benefits Centre; further notes that the centre provides an invaluable service to disabled people in an area that stretches from the Isle of Wight to South London; and that no business plan has been produced...

That this House deplores recent announcements by leading universities that they are to close, or freeze recruitment to, some departments because of funding problems; notes that the universities of Durham, Swansea, Cambridge, King's College London, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Reading and Exeter are each considering at least one major department closure; regrets that departments awarded a Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 4 star rating receive less than half the funding that 5 star rated departments receive; notes that some Exeter University students part way through their degrees will have to complete their studies at other universities or suffer a reduced standard of teaching as departments are winding up; calls on the Government urgently to review the RAE star rating system and its impact on funding; and urges the Government to take practical steps to ensure that students whose departments are closed part way through their degree course do not suffer.

That this House deplores recent announcements by leading universities that they are to close, or freeze recruitment to, some departments because of funding problems; notes that the universities of Durham, Swansea, Cambridge, King's College London, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Reading and Exeter are each considering at least one...

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House expresses concern over the planned closure of the Sketty Park Post Office in Swansea West constituency; calls on the Post Office to take into account not only the distance between existing post offices but also the nature of the community of older or disabled people, and to take the views of both the public and Postwatch into account before announcing any closures; believes that the Government's failure to intervene has resulted in the closure of urban post offices which would have remained open had a systematic closure programme with full consultation been undertaken by the Post Office; and therefore deplores the closure of any post office which did not take these factors fully into account.

That this House expresses concern over the planned closure of the Sketty Park Post Office in Swansea West constituency; calls on the Post Office to take into account not only the distance between existing post offices but also the nature of the community of older or disabled people, and to...

That this House is appalled at the decision of Post Office Ltd to close post offices on Beech Road in Chorlton and Burton Road in Old Moat, Withington; condemns the abject failure of Post Office Ltd to take into account the views of local people, particularly the elderly and disabled, during the sham consultation exercise and its total inability to understand the local area, leaving the Old Moat Ward with no post office; and calls upon the Department of Trade and Industry to fully investigate the incompetence of Post Office Ltd to undertake the Urban Reinvention Programme in South Manchester.

That this House is appalled at the decision of Post Office Ltd to close post offices on Beech Road in Chorlton and Burton Road in Old Moat, Withington; condemns the abject failure of Post Office Ltd to take into account the views of local people, particularly the elderly and disabled,...

That this House recognises the importance of post office branches to local communities, particularly the elderly, disabled and people without access to private cars; commends the work of post office managers and franchises in providing benefits, banking services, passport checking and many other important services to people in their communities; welcomes the Government's announcement of funding to enable rural post offices to remain open; regrets plans by Post Office Ltd to begin a programme of closures of directly managed post office branches staffed by employees; notes that transferring branches to franchises may allow Post Office Ltd to avoid taking responsibility for future closures when franchisees agree to give up these post office branches; and calls on the Government to take immediate action to prevent Post Office Ltd from closing these vital community facilities either directly or indirectly by transferring to franchisees.

That this House recognises the importance of post office branches to local communities, particularly the elderly, disabled and people without access to private cars; commends the work of post office managers and franchises in providing benefits, banking services, passport checking and many other important services to people in their communities;...

That this House condemns the announcement of 27th October by Post Office Ltd. to progress with 18 of the 21 Edinburgh post office closures put to public consultation over the summer; recognises that the futures of the three remaining branches at Saughtonhall, Stenhouse Cross and South Gyle are far from secure with the potential for these branches to also permanently close; believes all the announced closures will cause considerable difficulties for local communities across the City of Edinburgh and will particularly harm the many elderly and disabled residents who depend most on the services offered at these branches; criticises Post Office Ltd. for its complete failure to properly take account of the considerable evidence and overwhelming public opposition to its closure plans and to recognise the flawed basis on which its final decisions have been taken; further notes that Post Office Ltd. has failed to deny that some of the branches could close before the busy Christmas period; and therefore understands the immense disappointment, anger and betrayal which many people in the City of Edinburgh now feel.

That this House condemns the announcement of 27th October by Post Office Ltd. to progress with 18 of the 21 Edinburgh post office closures put to public consultation over the summer; recognises that the futures of the three remaining branches at Saughtonhall, Stenhouse Cross and South Gyle are far from...

That this House condemns the proposals by Post Office Ltd. to close post office branches in Abbey Street and Bermondsey Street in North Southwark and Bermondsey; notes that Bermondsey Street Post Office is the oldest branch in the UK; notes that these proposals come on top of previous closures in North Southwark and Bermondsey and other areas; sympathises with local residents and businesses who will suffer significant inconvenience if these post offices are closed; urges the Post Office to ensure that all comments and petitions are taken into account when considering the closures; urges Post Office Ltd. to consider seriously the offer of a local businessman to take over the business; condemns both Conservative and Labour governments for presiding over the closure of over 8,000 post offices across the United Kingdom; and invites the Government to halt the closure programme and prevent the closure of these post offices.

That this House condemns the proposals by Post Office Ltd. to close post office branches in Abbey Street and Bermondsey Street in North Southwark and Bermondsey; notes that Bermondsey Street Post Office is the oldest branch in the UK; notes that these proposals come on top of previous closures in...

That this House is alarmed by reports that the Post Office is planning to close or sell up to half of its high street Crown post offices; notes that this would leave hundreds of thousands of people without easy access to basic postal services and would cause the loss of jobs for highly trained postal workers; further notes that the Post Office would appear to be asset stripping in an attempt to raise profits; and calls on the Government to intervene and do all in its power to prevent the unacceptable loss of service to the public.

That this House is alarmed by reports that the Post Office is planning to close or sell up to half of its high street Crown post offices; notes that this would leave hundreds of thousands of people without easy access to basic postal services and would cause the loss of...

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office Card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office Card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House congratulates the Lancashire Evening Post in its campaign to save post offices from closure throughout Lancashire and recognises that the Lancashire Evening Post has received thousands of responses from its readers supporting the campaign; raises concern that Royal Mail are providing financial incentives to sub-postmasters to leave, thereby allowing the Royal Mail to close post offices leaving local users with no service; and calls on the Royal Mail to be open and transparent in making a business case for closure ensuring that all interested parties are consulted and provided with all the facts in relation to profitability and use of individual branches before any decision to close is taken.

That this House congratulates the Lancashire Evening Post in its campaign to save post offices from closure throughout Lancashire and recognises that the Lancashire Evening Post has received thousands of responses from its readers supporting the campaign; raises concern that Royal Mail are providing financial incentives to sub-postmasters to leave,...

That this House notes the recent announcement of proposals by the Post Office to close the post offices at 85 Wellington Road, 30 Avenham Lane, 117 Norris Street, 56 Fishergate Hill, 33 Water Lane, in Preston constituency; recognises the current role of post offices in both urban and rural communities; and urges the Government to work with the Post Office to ensure every effort is made to keep post offices open.

That this House notes the recent announcement of proposals by the Post Office to close the post offices at 85 Wellington Road, 30 Avenham Lane, 117 Norris Street, 56 Fishergate Hill, 33 Water Lane, in Preston constituency; recognises the current role of post offices in both urban and rural communities;...

That this House deplores the chaos that has ensued in the London Borough of Havering after the Post Office's decision to reduce mail deliveries to households to one a day, by lunchtime; notes that this has resulted in mail going undelivered and complaints by business users; further deplores the fact that this comes on top of proposals to close permanently five sub post offices in Hornchurch, at Albany Road, Mungo Park Road, Bevan Way, New Road Rainham and Roneo Corner; believes that this will cause distress to many elderly and disabled post office users, many of whom do not have access to cars and will have to endure lengthy journeys on foot in order to visit the post office; is concerned that residents of sheltered accommodation in Adelphi Crescent will have particular difficulties because of the loss of the Albany Road post office; and calls on the Post Office to halt this closure programme.

That this House deplores the chaos that has ensued in the London Borough of Havering after the Post Office's decision to reduce mail deliveries to households to one a day, by lunchtime; notes that this has resulted in mail going undelivered and complaints by business users; further deplores the fact...

That this House recognises the importance of post offices as an integral part of local communities; notes that they are not simply somewhere to access postal services, but that they also provide often rare opportunities for users to meet and converse with others from their area; believes that the closure of smaller post offices will cause great inconvenience to thousands forced to travel further afield, a physical impossibility particularly for the elderly; and wishes to see post offices continue to serve as a focal point for local communities.

That this House recognises the importance of post offices as an integral part of local communities; notes that they are not simply somewhere to access postal services, but that they also provide often rare opportunities for users to meet and converse with others from their area; believes that the closure...