text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Post Office Closures - Commends the Government's action
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  <p>The majority of MPs voted in favour of the motion:[1]</p>
  
  <p>This House --</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><em>recognises</em> the vital social and economic role of post offices, in particular in rural and deprived urban communities; </li>
  <li><em>notes</em> the decline in post office customer numbers in recent years and the financial losses of Â£174 million incurred by the network in 2007; </li>
  <li><em>further recognises</em> the effect of changes such as direct debit facilities and increased use of the internet for payment and communication; </li>
  <li><em>commends</em> the Government's action to support the post office network with investment of up to Â£1.7 billion up until 2011, including an annual subsidy of Â£150 million; </li>
  <li><em>further notes</em> that this subsidy did not exist under the last government and that without it thousands more post offices would be under threat; and </li>
  <li><em>urges</em> the Government to continue working with Post Office Limited to ensure a viable and sustainable network for the future.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>This followed a previous vote rejecting an alternative motion.[2]</p>
  
  <p>The debate has unfortunately been bisected by the announcement of a deferred division,[3] making it inconvenient to access on a single page.</p>
  
  
  <ul>
  <li>[1] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-03-19b.946.1#g958.0">John Hutton MP</a>, House of Commons, 19 March 2008</li>
  <li>[2] <a href="http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2008-03-19&number=131">Division 131</a>, House of Commons, 19 March 2008</li>
  <li>[3] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-03-19b.984.4">Sylvia Heal</a>, House of Commons, 19 March 2008</li>
  </ul>
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  