Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made in resolving Horizon Shortfall Scheme claims for sub-postmasters in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Transport on the adequacy of access to postal services in rural areas where (a) post office branches have recently closed and (b) postal outreach services have recently ceased.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve access to postal services in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of (a) high street bank and (b) Crown post office closures on the availability of monetary services in rural communities.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of the closure of Crown post offices on rural communities.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the access criteria for Post Office services for rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the claims process under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme for sub-post masters whose period of tenure includes years prior to 2004 where records have not been maintained by the Post Office.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to incentivise growth in rural businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether het has made a recent assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the difficulties that rural businesses face.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support rural businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
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.