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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much public funding the Post Office has received since January 2011 through government grants for investment in the network; and how much of that funding has been spent on postmasters' compensation.

From the period January 2011 to-date the Government has provided Post Office Limited with £1.835 billion in network subsidy and other payments to maintain, modernise and protect a network of at least 11,500 post offices across the country. Government has not provided Post Office Limited with any grants beyond the network subsidy payments.

The arrangements for postmaster compensation are the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter and provide the information requested. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.