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