New Business Plan needed to save the post office network - Bruce

11.42.48am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 24th Feb 2005

Malcolm visting a local post office

Commenting on the National Audit Office report into the state of the Post Office network, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Malcolm Bruce MP, said:

"The NAO has not told us anything that those dealing with post offices on a day-to-day basis don't already know.

"Through a series of botched and badly-thought out policies, the Government has decimated the urban post office network and left remaining post offices facing a very uncertain future.

"Without new products and services to offer, the majority of post offices which survived the Government cull remain unviable businesses.

"The only reason the rural network has been prevented from total collapse is a Government subsidy. Without the development of a coherent business plan the rural network is likely to go the same way as the urban network.

"The biggest individual losses are in those branches Post Office Ltd runs directly. Were it not for the sub-postmasters and mistresses who arguably subsidise the branches run by Post Office Ltd, the network would be in dire straits."