LTB 305/19 - Post Office: BEIS Select Committee Inquiry - Post Office Network

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LTB 305/19 - Post Office: BEIS Select Committee Inquiry - Post Office Network

No. 305/2019

22nd May 2019



Dear Colleagues

POST OFFICE: BEIS SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY – POST OFFICE NETWORK

Further to LTB 215/19 dated 8th April 2019. An evidence hearing was held yesterday in relation to the BEIS Select Committee inquiry into the Post Office network:

BEIS Select Committee Inquiry – “the franchising of Post Offices, the reduction of Government subsidies, and the long-term resilience of the service”.

The Union gave oral evidence along with the NFSP, Citizens Advice, WH Smith, the Association of Convenience Stores and the Post Office. The minister, Kelly Tolhurst was due to respond to the inquiry yesterday afternoon; however, we understand this was delayed at her request until June (date to be confirmed).

Members of the Select Committee directed some challenging questions to Post Office the NFSP and WH Smith which can be viewed along with the responses by using the following link:

https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/6 ... 90e9f9907b" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Press Coverage – Save our Post Offices Campaign

There was good media coverage regarding the future of the Post Office including a major piece in the Daily Mail which has just launched a Save our Post Offices campaign. The full article, which features some of our members including Mark Baker our Postmasters Branch Secretary, is available online:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... sands.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Daily Mail followed up the launch of the campaign with a further piece in today’s edition:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... fices.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The inquiry and associated press and media coverage has come about as a result of our activities including our campaign against Crown Office privatisation. We will continue to put pressure on the government and the Post Office with the aim of securing a long-term future for the Post Office network.

A web article on the inquiry is attached to this LTB for your information along with our full submission to BEIS which was written by our Head of Research, Bill Taylor in conjunction with Andy Furey and Andrew Towers, Head of Political Strategy. We would like to thank Bill Taylor for his efforts in this regard. In our written submission we elaborate upon our vision for a prosperous Post Office for the future and this is contained within the 12 key recommendations.

Finally, also attached to this LTB is a communication from Callum Greenhow, the CEO of the National Federation of SubPostmasters who gave oral evidence at yesterday’s inquiry. Naturally we view the current state of the network and suggestions for the future very differently to the NFSP. In particular, as Branches are aware, and as Andy Furey raised during yesterday’s evidence session, we believe a Post Bank owned and run by the Post Office would help to provide a long term future for this Great British institution.

Further developments will be reported.

If you have any questions in relation to this LTB, please contact Lea Sheridan – lsheridan@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey – Assistant Secretary

Terry Pullinger – Deputy General Secretary (P)

Dave Ward – General Secretary

19LTB305 – Post Office – BEIS Select Committee Inquiry – Post Office Network https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-piihill-ztkjiuyil-k/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attachment 1 – Web Article https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-piihill-ztkjiuyil-u/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attachment 2 – CWU Submission to BEIS SC on Post Office 7 May 2019 FINAL VERSION https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-piihill-ztkjiuyil-o/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attachment 3 – BSC 12 – BEIS Select Committee hearing https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-piihill-ztkjiuyil-b/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

View Online https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-piihill-ztkjiuyil-n/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;