Mr. David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con): Given that the final decision on London’s post office closure programme will be announced after the London elections, and that the post office Minister’s own constituency closure programme will be one of the last to be announced, on 27 August, will the Minister assure me that the voices of the hundreds of my constituents who are campaigning to save their local post offices in Palmers Green and Hadley Wood will be heard, and that this is not a centrally determined, politically determined process?

Mr. Hutton: I can give the hon. Gentleman and his constituents that assurance. We have set up a process for local consultation, and he has just outlined the extent of the local engagement in that process in his constituency. It is important, however, to respect one fundamental principle about ministerial behaviour, which is that Ministers do not make announcements during election periods. That has always been the principle, and it applies just as much in relation to this issue as to any other. If the hon. Gentleman wants me to depart from it on this occasion, perhaps he will also support any positive announcements affecting his constituency that Ministers make during future election periods.