Rural Post Offices face oblivion claims Lib Dem

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 28th Mar 2006

Gordon MP, Malcolm Bruce today challenged the Government to coordinate action to save rural sub-post offices across Scotland.

Calling the Government's decision to scrap the Post Office Card Account (POCA) and withdraw rural subsidies a 'betrayal', Mr Bruce asked Scottish Minister, David Cairns MP in the House of Commons, what the Government is doing to coordinate with their agencies to save the network, asking:

"The Liberal Democrats have a plan to invest in the Post Office, what is his?"

Commenting, Mr Bruce said:

"Under Labour in Scotland small post offices are heading for oblivion.

"The Minister's inability to answer the question and merely launch an attack on the Liberal Democrats demonstrates an emptiness of any Government thought on the future of the sub-post office network.

"With the Government's decision to phase out the rural subsidy and end the Post Office Card Account, almost no post office in rural Scotland will be viable. It is clear that sub-post masters and mistresses face a bleak future where they cannot retire and cannot sell their businesses. They deserve better.

"The Liberal Democrats have a plan to keep post offices in the public sector whilst providing long term investment. The Government must do likewise so it can to provide reassurance and confidence for sub post-office masters and mistresses."