Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of Post Office services in Hamilton and Clyde Valley constituency, including in Lanark, Larkhall and Lesmahagow.

The Government recognises the essential role that post offices play in communities across the country. While decisions about individual branches within constituencies are operational matters for Post Office Limited, Government has committed to maintaining a minimum network of 11,500 branches and retaining all six geographical access criteria. These include the requirement that 99% of the UK population live within three miles of a Post Office outlet. The criteria is not currently measured on a constituency basis.