Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many post office branches have been relocated into retail premises in (a) North West Durham, (b) North East England and (c) the UK since 2010.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government values and recognises the important role that the Post Office plays in North West Durham and other communities across the North East and the UK. This is why we committed in our 2017 Manifesto to safeguard the Post Office network and protect existing rural services. This strategy, backed by Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010, has delivered a branch network that is at its most stable and accessible in decades, with over 11,500 branches.
The Post Office reports annually on the size and shape of the network; the most recent report can be found at http://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/modernising-post-office. The report shows the number of branches in the network so that the change can be seen year on
year.
The information requested is set out below. The vast majority of the Post Office network is operated on an agency/franchise basis with branches located in retail premises. The figures show the number of Directly Managed Branches operated by the Post Office and the number of Agency branches.
Number of open post offices in 2010 | Directly Managed Branches | Agency branches | Total branches |
North West Durham Constituency | 1 | 29 | 30 |
North East Government Office Region | 10 | 481 | 491 |
UK | 373 | 11532 | 11905 |
Number of open post offices in 2018 | Directly Managed Branches | Agency branches | Total branches |
North West Durham Constituency | 1 | 29 | 30 |
North East Government Office Region | 6 | 484 | 490 |
UK | 262 | 11285 | 11547 |
Source: Post Office Limited
Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Post Office branches have closed in (a) North West Durham constituency, (b)the North East and (c) the UK since 2010.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government values and recognises the important role that the Post Office plays in North West Durham and other communities across the North East and the UK. This is why we committed in our 2017 Manifesto to safeguard the Post Office network and protect existing rural services. This strategy, backed by Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010, has delivered a branch network that is at its most stable and accessible in decades, with over 11,500 branches.
The Post Office reports annually on the size and shape of the network; the most recent report can be found at http://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/modernising-post-office. The report shows the number of branches in the network so that the change can be seen year on
year.
The information requested is set out below. The vast majority of the Post Office network is operated on an agency/franchise basis with branches located in retail premises. The figures show the number of Directly Managed Branches operated by the Post Office and the number of Agency branches.
Number of open post offices in 2010 | Directly Managed Branches | Agency branches | Total branches |
North West Durham Constituency | 1 | 29 | 30 |
North East Government Office Region | 10 | 481 | 491 |
UK | 373 | 11532 | 11905 |
Number of open post offices in 2018 | Directly Managed Branches | Agency branches | Total branches |
North West Durham Constituency | 1 | 29 | 30 |
North East Government Office Region | 6 | 484 | 490 |
UK | 262 | 11285 | 11547 |
Source: Post Office Limited
Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will take steps to encourage increased trades union membership.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
Trade union membership is a matter for trade unions themselves.
Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made on e-balloting pilots as recommended by the 2017 Knight Review.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
Before responding to the Knight Review of electronic balloting for industrial action the Government is required by Section 4 of the Trade Union Act 2016 to “consult relevant organisations, including professionals from expert associations, to seek their advice and recommendations.” We are currently assessing the best means of obtaining this advice.
Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of people under the age of 25 who are in full time work and are not in receipt of the National Living Wage.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The National Living Wage is applicable to those aged 25 and over.
Asked by: Laura Pidcock (Labour - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the privatisation of Royal Mail on the provision of postal services in North West Durham.
Answered by Margot James
Royal Mail, as the UK’s universal service provider, is required to provide postal services in accordance with the minimum criteria set by Parliament under the Postal Services Act 2011 and quality standards set by Ofcom.
Ofcom’s assessments of postal services have been published annually on its website since 2011-12.
Royal Mail’s performance is set out in its Annual Reports and Accounts.