Post Office NetworkPost office closures have a significant knock-on impact on local communities, hitting firms, community groups and schools. That goes for all post offices. It is easy to see how important rural post offices are to local communities, but we have research that quantifies the importance of urban post offices, too. A study undertaken by the New Economics Foundation in Manchester found that a post office saved small business £275,000 a year, compared with the extra cost of visiting sites further away. For every £10 earned in income, post offices generated £16.20 for the local economy. Each one contributed around £310,000 to the local economy every year. The study also noted that many sub-postmasters in disadvantaged areas perform a social services role by keeping an eye on dozens of vulnerable customers. I know that sub-postmasters in Falkirk East perform that role. I have no doubt that the findings for urban and rural post offices in Scotland would be similar. However, post offices are under attack. Their economic viability is being undermined by the transfer of services to other organisations. Post buses—the only public transport for many rural communities—are threatened. I have heard of cases of post bus services being stopped without notice to or consultation with the local community, which is not good enough. The loss of television licence revenue has had a major impact. Now the Post Office card account is threatened. The success of the card has shown that there is a high demand for the post office network to provide an alternative to local banks. There is no local bank in many of the communities that I represent and in other communities. The Post Office card account is currently used by 3.5 million people. We should allow the Post Office to be the sole supplier of a replacement for the account with far greater accessibility for all, which would increase access to banking services. The post office network should be supported as an important business, as an institution that is important to other businesses and as a means of tackling social exclusion. Post offices and sub-post offices are vital and are at the heart of many communities. This is an important debate. I echo calls for the Scottish ministers to lobby Westminster ministers on behalf of sub-post offices and post offices throughout the network. |
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