Post Office Closures

Part of Opposition Day – in the House of Commons at 4:18 pm on 23 January 1985.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Geoffrey Pattie Mr Geoffrey Pattie , Chertsey and Walton 4:18, 23 January 1985

The Post Office workers are not being stabbed in the back by the Government, or by the Post Office Corporation. Since the establishment of the Post Office as a separate corporation in 1969, no Government have had the power to intervene in the day-to-day decisions and workings of the Post Office. It is interesting that the hon. Gentleman talked about modernisation because in today's Financial Times there is news of a new cash machine network which is to be launched, and which has various partners, including the National Girobank. What is being sought is not mere accounting efficiency and returns, but ever-increasing operating efficiency so that the Post Office can compete.

It is important to remind the House that, even after the contemplated programme of closures is completed, there will be the largest retail network of any sort in the country. It will involve 21,000 sub-post offices and 1,567 Crown offices. I shall not make the international comparison to which the right hon. and learned Gentleman alluded, because such comparisons can be misleading.

I share the right hon. and learned Gentleman's belief that many hon. Members will wish to intervene to cite examples from their own constituencies. I imagine that there is hardly a constituency that is not affected by the programme, and mine is no exception. Hon. Members will tell us of the difficulties that certain individuals have in getting to post offices. When the Opposition use the phrase "serious social harm"—