Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Jo Stevens Excerpts
Thursday 15th November 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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I tabled a motion on Monday to provide the House with an additional three sitting Fridays, but unfortunately it was objected to. All hon. Members will know that the Government are keen to support some of the excellent private Members’ Bills, and that is why that time has been provided. I will put forward the motion again shortly, as I am keen for the House to have those extra days.

Jo Stevens Portrait Jo Stevens (Cardiff Central) (Lab)
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The only Crown post office in the centre of Cardiff, Wales’s capital city, is to be franchised to WH Smith, a failing retailer, together with 73 other post offices across the country. May we please have a debate on stopping this unnecessary and damaging privatisation, which is going to affect the jobs of 800 people?

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising this point again—it has been raised a number of times at business questions. As I have explained to other hon. Members, the Post Office is moving some of its centres into WH Smith. That is designed not to reduce the services in any way, but to rationalise them. Indeed, in taking on banking and other services, the post office network around the country is often enabling people to get a better service than previously.