Postal Services Bill

22A: After Clause 10, insert the following new Clause— ““Counter access to postal, government and other services (1) For the purpose of ensuring continued universal counter access through a Post Office company to services specified in subsection (2), the location and geographical distribution of counter access points shall be governed by the following access criteria— (a) 99.7% of the total population shall be located no more than 3 miles from a counter access point; (b) 93.2% of the total population shall be located no more than 1 mile from a counter access point; (c) 99.8% of the total population in deprived urban areas shall be located no more than 1 mile from a counter access point; (d) 99.1% of the total population in urban areas shall be located no more than 1 mile from a counter access point; (e) 99.2% of the total population in rural areas shall be located no more than 3 miles from a counter access point; and (f) in each postcode district, 95% of the population in that postcode district shall be located within 6 miles of a counter access point. (2) The access criteria specified in subsection (1) relate to, but are not limited to, the provision of counter access to the following services— (a) postal collection and delivery services as specified by the universal postal service order; (b) postal service products; (c) processing social benefit and tax credit payments; (d) processing of national identity and licensing scheme applications; (e) payment facilities for essential utility services; (f) cash and banking facilities; and (g) government savings instruments. (3) Within six months of the commencement of this Act, the Secretary of State shall determine and publish— (a) the process by which the number of counter access points to services specified in subsection (2) and access criteria specified in subsection (1) shall be reviewed; (b) the frequency at which the number of counter access points to services specified in subsection (2) and access criteria specified in subsection (1) shall be reviewed. (4) In undertaking a review described in subsection (3), the Secretary of State shall consult— (a) the Post Office company; (b) bodies able to represent the interests of consumers using counter access to the services outlined in subsection (2); and (c) such other persons as the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to consult. (5) Following a review established under subsections (3) and (4), the Secretary of State may by order amend the access criteria specified in subsection (1). (6) The power in subsection (5) to amend the access criteria in subsection (1) shall be subject to the procedure in section (Super-affirmative procedure).””