LABOUR'S RURAL POST OFFICE CULL MUST STOP - WILLIAMS

12.59.24pm GMT Thu 30th Oct 2008

Speaking after figures obtained by him in a Parliamentary Answer showed that nearly a fifth of rural post offices in Wales were closed between 2000 and March 2008, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Roger Williams MP has called for the Government to start backing post office services.

The figures, revealed in a letter to Roger Williams from the Post Office, show that 18.37% of rural post offices in Wales have closed since 2000. The figures do not include those involved in the closure programme in Wales.

The Government are expected to make a decision on whether to award the contract for a new Post Office Card Account in the next few weeks. The decision has been repeatedly delayed, and this week the National Federation of Subpostmasters wrote to the Government to ask for a decision, warning that £1 billion of revenue could be lost, and as many as 3,000 further branches forced to shut.

It was revealed last week that Post Office Limited had made an operating profit of £28 million for the first half of this year, before many of the current closures had taken place, despite the claims that 2,500 branches would have to be shut to make the service competitive.

Commenting, Roger Williams said:

"People in rural areas will know that post offices are disappearing at an extraordinary rate, but this shows just how devastated rural communities have been - and this is before we even take the Network Change Programme into account.

"We were told that we had to cut back post office branches to keep the service competitive, yet Post Office Limited has just announced a profit of £28 million for the first half of this year. How will that make someone who has seen their village post office close this year feel?

"Labour have let down rural communities on post offices. We are losing vital services in our communities, and for many the viability of village life itself is being threatened. The Government need to quickly develop a plan for a sustainable post office network, so that we don't lose even more.

On the Post Office Card Account, Mr Williams added:

"Postmasters are worried by the delay in this decision, and fear that the loss of the card account could put further branches in jeopardy.

"The Government must end this uncertainty, and more importantly start supporting our post offices.

"Post offices have had traditional services withdrawn. This trend must be reversed or post offices will find it even harder to stay open, particularly in the current climate."