The petition of the residents of the constituency of Keighley and Ilkley,
Declares that the Haworth Post Office is a very busy post office and convenience shop needed not only by the elderly in the nearby flats but also by many of the businesses on Main Street itself; further that the elderly cannot walk down to the bottom of Haworth and need this facility; and further that many businesses use Main Street branch for parcels which we understand cannot be taken into the new co-op facility.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to encourage Post Office Ltd to keep Haworth Post Office open.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Robbie Moore, Official Report, 14 September 2021; Vol. 700, c. 948.]
[P002688]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Paul Scully):
The Government recognise how important post offices are to their communities, which is why the Government protect both the branch network by setting minimum access criteria, as well as services by setting minimum services to be provided at post offices across the country. These criteria ensure that 90% of the population are within one mile of their nearest post office branch and that 99% of the population are within three miles of their nearest post office branch.
The Government understand that Post Office will be working in partnership with local stakeholders in Haworth to consider what the options are for the best sustainable solution for post office services in the area. While the Government set the strategic direction for Post Office, the management of the branch network is an operational responsibility for Post Office Ltd. It would therefore not be appropriate for Government to intervene in this situation.