1. What discussions has the Minister had regarding the operations of the Post Office in Wales? OAQ54982

I recognise the valuable services that local post offices provide to the communities they serve across Wales. Welsh Government has regular contact with Post Office Ltd to ensure we are kept aware of and raise any issues that affect Welsh communities.

Post offices remain at the heart of our communities, especially where the last bank branch has closed. During the years of the UK Government's post office closure programme between 2007 and 2009, we were repeatedly told here—and quite rightly so—that post offices had to become sustainable and that included the development of financial services.

Last October we all received an announcement that the Post Office had agreed a new banking framework with 28 UK banks, ensuring that bank customers continued to have free access to everyday banking services in every corner of Wales. It also ensured a fair and sustainable remuneration package for sub-postmasters and mistresses. So, how is the Welsh Government, therefore, engaging with the Post Office in the context of this banking framework agreement, to ensure that its proposals for a community bank do not compete with those services that simply fill in the gap, so that we can ensure that our post office network is here tomorrow and for next week, next year and future generations?

Diolch. As we both—. I think everybody here will be in agreement on the role that post offices play in our communities and in the heart of our towns across the country as well, performing not just a function and a practical role, but also a social function as well. Although post office matters are not devolved to Welsh Ministers, clearly we have a role to play in how those issues impact or affect the citizens of Wales.

Officials last met with Post Office Ltd earlier this month and actually raising awareness of the banking framework and commitment was one of the things high on the agenda, about how we can work with them, with the roles that we're doing across Government to ensure that Welsh citizens have access to the services they need.