To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether all Crown post offices are planned to be closed or franchised.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office – to maintain a network of at least 11,500 branches and to do so more sustainably for the taxpayer – it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business.

The decision whether to franchise further Crown post offices is an operational matter of commercial judgement for the Post Office.