News Release

14th January 2004

STAFFORDSHIRE MPs SLAM POST OFFICE FOR CLOSURES

In a vigorous debate on the future of the Post Office network last night (Tuesday 13th January) in the House of Commons, Conservative and Labour MPs in Staffordshire slammed the Government for their handling of Post Office closures. Mark Fisher MP (Stoke Central, Labour) told the Minister that a closure strategy "may exist in your head, but it is not happening in practice". Brian Jenkins (Tamworth, Labour) complained that deprived areas which are highly dependent on Post Offices are being treated badly. And Michael Fabricant, who wound up the debate for the Opposition as Shadow Economic Affairs Minister, says there "is no strategy nor coherence in the way Post Offices are being closed. Deprived areas like my own in Chase Terrace are highly dependent on Post Offices to claim benefits and are now seeing them close."

But speaking from the Despatch Box, Michael also pointed out that funding for the preservation of the 9,000 rural post offices is also in jeopardy. The funding support runs out in 2006 and Michael asked the Minister whether it would continue after the next election. He said that MPs of all political persuasions are united that "The post office network is an absolutely vital part of our social fabric, and it must be preserved."

He went on to ask the Minister (Stephen Timms) a series of questions.

"What will be the future of the 9,000 rural post offices after 2006? Will funding continue, or does Labour plan to abandon rural post offices after the next election? Why have the Government not intervened over the manner in which urban post offices are being closed; or, despite what the Minister has heard today, does he still believe that all is going well? What steps will he take to ensure that future closures are properly consulted on, in order to meet local needs? And when will he intervene to ensure that the direct payments system works properly? Will he change the procedure to make applications for card accounts simpler and quicker? Will he ensure that the 22-stage questionnaire is abolished? Will he insist that the PIN pad be changed to enable disabled and blind people to use it more readily? And will he meet his colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that Post Office card accounts become an equally attractive alternative to bank accounts?"