Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the length of the new commercial agreement between Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd is planned to be; and whether he plans to alter the terms of that agreement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has no role in commercial agreements between Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd. The length and terms of such agreements are contractual matters for the businesses concerned.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Post Office Report and Accounts for the financial year ended 31 March 2020 are planned to be laid before Parliament before 22 July 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK, which is why we committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.
Post Office Limited’s Report and Accounts for the financial year ended 31 March 2020 will not be laid before parliament before 22 July 2020. Under the Companies Act, firms have 9 months after the relevant financial year ends to file their accounts, meaning the end of December 2020 for Post Office Limited. Companies House has provided an optional three-month extension of this deadline due to Covid-19. In recent years Post Office Limited has laid its report and accounts before Parliament between September and December.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when will the Fujitsu's contract to provide Post Office Ltd's IT Horizon system will be up for renewal; and whether that contract contains an option to terminate before the scheduled renewal or end date.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK, which is why we committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The details regarding contracts with Fujitsu, is an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the contract to supply Post Office Ltd's IT Horizon system be (a) put out for tender or (b) renegotiated with Fujitsu at the end of the current contract.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK, which is why we committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The details regarding contracts with Fujitsu, is an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to make an announcement on its decision on the future of public subsidies for Post Office Limited after March 2021.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK, which is why we committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services.
Successive Governments?have?invested over £2 billion in the Post Office network since 2010. Looking at the future,?the Government remains committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the network and will continue working with Post Office Ltd to achieve this. Future subsidy requirements will be considered within the Government's fiscal framework.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average age is of Sub-Postmasters in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the average age of Postmasters across the UK is a matter for Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of each post office branch type have been temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England as of (i) 31 March 2020 and (ii) since 1 April 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the number of Post Offices which are temporarily closed across the UK is an operational matter for Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
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 offices have been temporarily closed in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each region of England since 1 April 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, the number of Post Offices which are temporarily closed across the UK is an operational matter for Post Office Limited.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to issue guidance to (a) employers and (b) employees on the application of section 44 of the Employment Relations Act (1996) during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
Under the law, employers are responsible for health and safety management and should take the necessary steps to ensure safe workplaces. During the Covid-19 crisis, the Government has worked with a wide range of businesses, trade unions and representative organisations to issue guidance on safe return to work.? Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive have also issued guidance on how to ensure social distancing and hygiene measures in the workplace.
In line with employment and health and safety law, this guidance sets out that where employees have health and safety concerns, they should raise this with their employee representative, trade union, or the Health & Safety Executive.
Before restarting work employers should ensure the safety of the workplace by:
Where?HSE?identifies?employers?who are not taking action to comply with the relevant PHE guidance to control public health risks they will consider taking a range of enforcement action.?The Government recently announced an additional £14 million of funding for HSE to support this work.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average length of time was for Ministers of his Department to respond to correspondence from hon. Members in each month in the last two years.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Department aims to respond to all correspondence within 15 working days, where a response is required.
The average response times for each month in the last two years is set out below. The data is correct as of 27 May and relates to correspondence for which a reply has been issued.
Month Due | Days to Complete |
Apr-18 | 14 |
May-18 | 15 |
Jun-18 | 11 |
Jul-18 | 14 |
Aug-18 | 17 |
Sep-18 | 16 |
Oct-18 | 20 |
Nov-18 | 21 |
Dec-18 | 17 |
Jan-19 | 12 |
Feb-19 | 11 |
Mar-19 | 12 |
Apr-19 | 11 |
May-19 | 13 |
Jun-19 | 14 |
Jul-19 | 13 |
Aug-19 | 15 |
Sep-19 | 11 |
Oct-19 | 10 |
Nov-19 | 9 |
Dec-19 | 16 |
Jan-20 | 9 |
Feb-20 | 11 |
Mar-20 | 13 |
Apr-20 | 11 |