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Written Question
Post Offices: Franchises
Wednesday 19th December 2018

Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and East Dulwich)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect on the viability of high streets and local economies of franchising post offices.

Answered by Kelly Tolhurst

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Franchising is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Written Question
Post Offices: Closures
Monday 17th December 2018

Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and East Dulwich)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of Crown Post Offices that will be closed following his announcement of 11 October 2018.

Answered by Kelly Tolhurst

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy made no announcement on the Post Office on 11 October 2018.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010. There is no closure or privatisation programme.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 31 Oct 2018
Budget Resolutions

"The post office in our high street has been downgraded from a Crown post office and its services are being reduced. Our retailers in our high street are worried that this will mean fewer people coming into the community. What can the Minister say to reassure the retailers in our …..."
Ellie Reeves - View Speech

View all Ellie Reeves (Lab - Lewisham West and East Dulwich) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 16 Oct 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"The Competition and Markets Authority says that it will not let the merger go ahead if any concerns that it has around higher prices or worse quality of service for shoppers are not fully dealt with. What assurances will the Secretary of State give that the same rigorous tests are …..."
Ellie Reeves - View Speech

View all Ellie Reeves (Lab - Lewisham West and East Dulwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 Jul 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"Companies such as Uber and Pimlico Plumbers wrongly categorise their workforces as self-employed in order to deny them basic rights such as holiday pay and even the national minimum wage. I have heard what the Minister has had to say today, but when will the Government finally clamp down on …..."
Ellie Reeves - View Speech

View all Ellie Reeves (Lab - Lewisham West and East Dulwich) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 20 Jun 2018
Insecure Work and the Gig Economy

"As an employment rights lawyer for many years, I have seen time and again how insecure work can blight people’s lives. Between 2006 and 2016, there was a 49.8% increase in self-employment in London. That increase may not, as some claim, indicate an upsurge in entrepreneurial spirit, but it is …..."
Ellie Reeves - View Speech

View all Ellie Reeves (Lab - Lewisham West and East Dulwich) contributions to the debate on: Insecure Work and the Gig Economy
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 05 Sep 2017
Blacklisting

"As my hon. Friend knows, this is an important issue to me as I represented blacklisted members of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians in the High Court. Does he agree that no firm involved in historical blacklisting should be given a public contract until it demonstrates regret …..."
Ellie Reeves - View Speech

View all Ellie Reeves (Lab - Lewisham West and East Dulwich) contributions to the debate on: Blacklisting