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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to help ensure that the Post Office Community Network is able to handle increased demands for over the counter banking services.

Over the past ten years, the Government has provided over £2.5 billion in funding to support the Post Office network. Government is providing a further £335 million for the Post Office over the next three years. We are confident that with this funding, Post Office can continue to meet the core requirements for the network and ensure post office services will remain available to communities across the country.

Post Office is a commercial business that operates independently of Government. How post offices are responding to increased demand for banking services is a matter for Post Office Ltd.