Helen Morgan

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman or lady Parliamentary Question of 26th March is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 26th March is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 26th March is attached.

The table below provides the estimates requested, number of long term sick days lost per department, along with our preferred measure, Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition. Data is provided for the main Ministerial Departments consistent with the answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11521.

Long term sickness absence by Main Department, days lost and average working days lost per staff year, 2023

This Government has greatly accelerated redress. The total amount paid to victims has increased fivefold since July 2024. We have begun payments of a £75,000 fixed offer for those postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) who want to accept it.

For HSS, the average time from claim submission to final settlement payment is 183 working days, inclusive of fixed sum and full assessed claims.

For GLO, the average time from full claim submission to final settlement payment is 64 working days, inclusive of fixed sum and full assessed claims.

For HCRS, it has taken on average 7 working days from claimants submitting their claim to receiving payment, with all settled claims to date being fixed sum settlements.

The Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network. This includes protecting the network by setting minimum access criteria (for example, to ensure that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office). To ensure Post Office provision in communities, such as North Shropshire, the Government plans to provide up to £83 million of network subsidy in this financial year. This is an increase from the £50 million p.a. provided in the previous Parliament and follows a similar uplift in the 2024/25 financial year.

Globalised supply chains and the associated logistics costs remain a critical factor for the success of UK businesses and those on High Street.

The Supply Chain Centre will work in tandem with businesses to identify risks to critical supply chains and recommend actions to reduce their impact on business operations.

Businesses are also able to access a wide range of support offers by the Department, including the Business Growth Service which brings together a range of existing core services as well as new and improved elements of the business support offer. Further details will be released in the SME Strategy later this summer.

The government believes that local leaders, working with bus operators, are best placed to make decisions around the provision of local bus services. The government has confirmed £955m for the 2025/26 financial year to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities, including in rural areas. This includes £243m for bus operators and £712m to local authorities across the country, of which Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4m.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming around £900m each year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services. Improved bus routes and connectivity will increase access to local high streets improving footfall and business viability in North Shropshire.

North Shropshire high street businesses are supported by the Marches Growth Hub which provides businesses of all sizes and sectors across Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin with advice and support throughout the business journey.

Banking Framework 4 is a commercial agreement between the Post Office and the banking sector which will ensure that the Post Office continues to provide cash and basic banking services to the end of the decade. Decisions on future service provision are subject to commercial and voluntary negotiations between the Post Office and the banking sector.

The Post Office Green Paper, due to be published soon, will set out further detail on the Post Office’s long-term future.

The government recognises that rural residents must often travel further to access their local high street. We know that this can affect business viability for high streets in rural areas as employee and customer accessibility is a significant barrier.

The government is providing over £650 million for local transport outside city regions in 2025-26 to ensure that transport infrastructure and connections improve in our towns, villages and rural areas as well as in our major cities. Addressing intra-regional transport, connecting rural communities to their local high street will increase the viability of high street businesses in market towns. The government is also providing over £1 billion funding to support and improve local bus services and keep fares affordable where we can and increase connectivity to high streets in rural areas.

For businesses to invest and thrive they need confidence in their supply chains. This government is committed to assessing where supply chains critical to the United Kingdom's economic security and growth could be vulnerable to disruption, including those in the growth driving sectors outlined in the industrial strategy.

The Business Secretary has announced a new Business Growth Service which will make it easier and quicker for businesses across the United Kingdom, including those on the high street, to receive advice and support to help them grow and thrive. The Business Growth Service will bring together under one single, trusted banner a range of existing core services as well as new and improved elements of the business support offer that will be delivered both centrally and locally.

Revitalising our high streets is a priority for this government. We are addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, working with the banking industry to roll out 350 banking hubs, stamping out late payments, empowering communities to make the most of the vacant properties, strengthening the Post Office network and reforming the apprenticeship levy, alongside our plans to reform business rates.

We have announced a new Business Growth Service that will make it easier for businesses across the UK to get the help, support and advice they need. It will bring together existing offers including the Business Support Service, which provides tailored information, advice, guidance and signposting on any business topic, and the network of local Growth Hubs across England. The Marches Growth Hub provides businesses of all sizes and sectors across Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin with advice and support throughout the business journey.

Our forthcoming SME Strategy will set out our further plans to help businesses on the high street and beyond.

As of 30 April 2025, £507 million has been paid in redress via the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS). This includes approximately £240 million in fixed sum awards and approximately £107 million in top-ups to previously settled claimants.

DBT does not hold a constituency-level breakdown of HSS cases.

The Government protects the sustainability of the Post Office branch network, including in North Shropshire and across the rural network, providing funding stipulating that Post Office meets its minimum access criteria ensuring 99% of the population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office, across the country. Government confirmed the network subsidy will be up to £83 million for Financial Year 25/26.

Post Office are committed to consulting on any proposed branch changes, as set out in the Principles of Community Engagement document agreed with Citizens Advice. These consultations focus on customers’ access to Post Office products following any proposed change.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, requires Royal Mail to ensure that across the UK, the premises of no fewer than 95% of users of postal services are within 5 kilometres of an access point.

The Government protects the sustainability of the Post Office branch network, including in North Shropshire and across the rural network, providing funding stipulating that Post Office meets its minimum access criteria ensuring 99% of the population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office, across the country. Government confirmed the network subsidy will be up to £83 million for Financial Year 25/26.

Post Office are committed to consulting on any proposed branch changes, as set out in the Principles of Community Engagement document agreed with Citizens Advice. These consultations focus on customers’ access to Post Office products following any proposed change.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, requires Royal Mail to ensure that across the UK, the premises of no fewer than 95% of users of postal services are within 5 kilometres of an access point.

Government sets Post Office access criteria, ensuring that nationally, 99% of people live within three miles of their nearest branch, with further specific criteria for rural areas. These ensure that Post Office delivers essential services, including banking, within local reach of all citizens. Due to the Banking Framework, customers will be able to do their everyday banking at post offices across the UK until 2030. Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, providing access to critical cash and banking services.

There are two Directly-Managed Branches (DMBs) located in rural areas. Post Office announced the transition to a fully franchised network. Post Office will ensure all communities currently served by a DMB will have at least one Mains branch within a 1-mile radius of the existing branch.

Government sets Post Office access criteria, ensuring that nationally, 99% of people live within three miles of their nearest branch, with further specific criteria for rural areas. These ensure that Post Office delivers essential services, including banking, within local reach of all citizens. Due to the Banking Framework, customers will be able to do their everyday banking at post offices across the UK until 2030. Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, providing access to critical cash and banking services.

There are two Directly-Managed Branches (DMBs) located in rural areas. Post Office announced the transition to a fully franchised network. Post Office will ensure all communities currently served by a DMB will have at least one Mains branch within a 1-mile radius of the existing branch.

Government sets Post Office access criteria, ensuring that nationally, 99% of people live within three miles of their nearest branch, with further specific criteria for rural areas. These ensure that Post Office delivers essential services, including banking, within local reach of all citizens. Due to the Banking Framework, customers will be able to do their everyday banking at post offices across the UK until 2030. Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, providing access to critical cash and banking services.

There are two Directly-Managed Branches (DMBs) located in rural areas. Post Office announced the transition to a fully franchised network. Post Office will ensure all communities currently served by a DMB will have at least one Mains branch within a 1-mile radius of the existing branch.

The Government recognises that due to the absence of records and the amount of time that has passed since losses were incurred, postmasters may face challenges in evidencing their claim under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. The scheme was designed so that a lack of supporting information would not be a barrier to entry to the scheme.

Claimants are asked to provide as much information as they can in making their claim. In the absence of any Post Office records, the postmaster’s testimony will be considered when determining the outcome.

Rural businesses offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. DBT works with other departments who provide funding for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) supporting new and existing rural businesses and improved community infrastructure that will provide essential community services.

The Government has just announced the Business Growth Service (BGS), with local delivery at its heart to bring a range of existing core services under the BGS banner.

All businesses can access their Local Growth Hubs, which provide advice and support throughout the business journey, shaping their offer around the unique needs, whether town or country.

Rural businesses offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. DBT works with other departments such as Defra, helping people living and working in rural areas to realise the full potential of rural businesses and communities placing them at the heart of our policymaking.

The Government will publish a Small Business Strategy Paper later this year, setting out the Government’s vision for all small businesses, and has committed to funding for two key growth-driving programmes in 2025-26: Growth Hubs in England and Help to Grow: Management across the UK, which help businesses and entrepreneurs unlock their potential through bespoke support and resources

The Rural England Prosperity Fund is intended to support new and existing rural businesses, including farm businesses, to develop new products and facilities that will be of wider benefit to the local economy and to support new and improved community infrastructure that will provide essential community services and assets for local people and businesses to benefit the local economy

Rural businesses offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. As with all places, fulfilling the needs of people and businesses in rural areas is at the heart of our policymaking.

The Government has just launched the Business Growth Service (BGS), a national service with local delivery at its heart. It will bring a range of existing core services under the BGS banner, working hand in glove with local and devolved governments and the Growth Hubs network.

All businesses can access their Local Growth Hubs, which provide advice and support throughout the business journey, shaping their offer around the unique needs, whether town or country.

As of 30 August, 253 offers had been made to claimants under the GLO scheme; 207 postmasters had accepted their offer. Data on all Horizon redress schemes are published monthly on gov.uk.

DBT Funding for the Marches Growth Hub for each FY since it was established is set out in the table below:

The Secretary of State and I meet regularly with a range of stakeholders.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.

The Government believes the only way to protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us harness clean energy, reduce our reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets, and enable us to meet our target to be a clean energy superpower by 2030.

In the short-term, we are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate on energy bills for eligible low-income households. I am also having regular discussions with energy suppliers to ensure that consumers are supported this winter.

The Government’s assessment is that the introduction of a price cap for heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas would not be in the long-term interests of consumers.

The structures of the heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas markets are different from those of gas and electricity supply. Imposing a price cap, which might fall below wholesale costs faced by heating fuel distributors, risks companies exiting the market or not accepting orders when they would make a loss on their fulfilment.