2 December 2009

Post Office banking plans too little, too late

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today warned that plans to allow post offices to provide banking services were too little too late, after years of underinvestment and post office closures.

The Government have today launched a public consultation on expanding the role of local post offices in the provision of banking services.

John Barrett said:

“The announcement that the Government is to explore the possibility of extending banking services is too late for communities in Edinburgh who have already been the victim of the most recent cull of the post office network.  

“This consultation process needs to address concerns about how much money would be generated for the Post Office Network itself and if this might be better addressed by the formation of a separate PostBank body.

“Further closures would be disastrous for many communities and we needs to ensure that Post Offices have the services and the financial support not just to survive but to thrive in the future.”