Post Offices

Trade and Industry written question – answered at on 3 March 2006.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies PPS (Rt Hon Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State), Department for Culture, Media & Sport

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) nature, (b) duration and (c) location is of pilot studies to (i) assist with the long-term viability of post offices and (ii) assess the viability of remote post office branches after the end of the Post Office card account.

Photo of Barry Gardiner Barry Gardiner Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Trade and Industry) (Delivery and Efficiency)

holding answer 2 March 2006

Post Office Ltd. is conducting trials of modern, innovative ways of delivering post office services to rural communities. The trials will operate for 12 months and are focused on a 'Core and Outreach' approach. There are four types of Outreach service being piloted:

Hosted (fixed or portable)—a full service offer by the sub-postmaster/mistress (SPM) or a fully trained employee;

Partner Service—a basic service (e.g. access to cash, bill payment, stamps, weighing and leaving parcels) provided by another retailer alongside their main business, generally a petrol station or pub. The Core SPM maintains a remote overview and provides the site with the products required.

Home Service—a full service is offered via telephone or internet ordering. The SPM then arranges to deliver, in person or by post, the products requested.

Mobile—a full service is offered by a mobile post office visiting a number of locations at set times.

I have asked Post Office Ltd. to publish a report detailing findings on its pilot activity and expect them to do so shortly.

The locations of the 'Core and Outreach' pilots are detailed in the following table.

Location of Post Office Ltd. 'Core and Outreach' pilot activity
Core site Outreach site Type of pilot activity
Castle Douglas (Dumfries and Galloway) Crocketford Portable Hosted
Haugh of Urr Portable Hosted
Twynholm Portable Hosted
Leven (Fife) Windygates Fixed Hosted
Colinsburgh Portable Hosted
Wick (Sutherland) Reiss Mobile
Keiss Mobile
Auchergill Mobile
Mey Mobile
Thrumster Mobile
Pembroke (Pembrokeshire) Castlemartin Home Service (telephone only)
Hundleton Home Service (telephone only)
St. Florence Portable Hosted
Llandeilo (Carmarthenshire) Carmel Portable Hosted
Ffairfach Portable Hosted
Llanarthney Portable Hosted
Rhydlewis (Ceredigion) Abermeurig Mobile
Joppa Mobile
Blaenanerch Mobile
Talsarn Mobile
Cribyn Mobile
Rathfriland (County Down) Kilcoo Fixed Hosted
Mays Corner Fixed Hosted
Ballinaskeagh Fixed Hosted/Partner Service
Enniskillen (County Fermanagh) Monea Mobile
Lack Mobile
Aldeburgh (Suffolk) Campsea Ash Home Service
Middleton Home Service
Tunstall Home Service
Kettleburgh Home Service
Brandston Home Service
Snape Portable Hosted
Tuxford (Nottinghamshire) Norwell Home Service/Portable Hosted
East Markham Home Service/Portable Hosted
Kirton Home Service
Burscough Bridge (Lancashire) Bescar Lane Portable Hosted
Haskayne Partner Service
Syston (Leicestershire) Rearsby Portable Hosted
Bedale (North Yorkshire) Crakehall Portable Hosted/Partner
Leeming Bar Portable Hosted
North Stainley Portable Hosted
Swaffham (Norfolk) Sporle Portable Hosted
Henfield (Sussex) Bolney Fixed Hosted
Glastonbury (Somerset) Wookey Fixed Hosted
Godney Home Service (telephone only)
Okehampton (Devon) Sticklepath Portable Hosted
Appleby Brampton Home Service
Blencarn Home Service
Mynytho (Gwynedd) Abererch Road Mobile
Borth Y Gest Mobile
Bwlchtocyn Mobile
Clynnogfawr Mobile
Minffordd Mobile
Nasareth Mobile
Ashford Road (Maidstone) Harrietsham Fixed Hosted
Chart Sutton Fixed Hosted
East Farleigh Fixed Hosted
Tow Law Fir Tree Mobile
Witton Park Mobile
Escombe Mobile
Whitton Le Wear Mobile
Toronto Mobile
Cornsay Colliery Mobile

Does this answer the above question?

Yes0 people think so

No0 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.