11-11-02

Barrett to meet DTI Minister over Edinburgh Post Offices

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, will defend Edinburgh's post office network during a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 12th November) with Trade & Industry Minister, Stephen Timms.

The meeting, to take place in the Department of Trade & Industry, follows Mr Barrett's petition campaign, backed by over 6,000 of his West Edinburgh constituents. The campaign calls on the Government to halt plans to close over one third of the urban post office network.

In a statement, John Barrett said:

"The thought of losing up to 7 post offices in my constituency and many more throughout the rest of Edinburgh is quite frankly terrifying, especially for the more vulnerable in the City, who rely heavily on the services provided by their local post office.

"Even the post office regulator, Postwatch, has admitted the 3,000 planned closures across the UK are excessive and unnecessary.

"The Government must recognise that post offices are vital to the communities they serve and deserve extra support. They urgently need to address how they intend to make up the shortfall in post office revenue that will arise from their plans to pay pensions and benefits directly into people's accounts.

"They also need to say how the regulator is going to handle the massive number of local inquiries which will likely occur when hundreds of thousands of people realise it is their post office which is lined up for closure."

ENDS