Malcolm Bruce MP Visits Leicester To Raise Issue Of Disappearing Post Offices

2.06.00pm GMT Mon 6th Dec 2004

Malcolm Bruce MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow DTI Secretary will on Wednesday (8th December) visit Leicester to raise the issue of Britain's disappearing post offices. Mr Bruce will visit a post office in Patricia Hewitt's constituency who, as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has responsibility for the post office network.

Mr Bruce will be accompanied by local MP Parmjit Singh Gill as they also visit a post office in his Leicester South constituency and discuss the concerns of local residents. The visit comes as Liberal Democrat research reveals the extent of post office closures across the country. Across the UK 2,190 post offices have closed since 2001.

Figures for Leicester by constituency show that the town has lost 9 post offices between October 1999 and April 2004, 14% of it total. This matches the figure for the East Midlands as a whole where 201 post offices or 14% of its total have closed since 2001. Leicester West has lost 5 post offices, Leicester South 3 and Leicester East 1.

The UK constituency to have lost the most post offices since 1999 is Sheffield Attercliffe with 23 closures.

Commenting ahead of the visit, Malcolm Bruce MP, said:

"The importance of the local post office to the surrounding community cannot be underestimated, especially to more vulnerable people like pensioners and disabled people who depend on its services.

"Unfortunately, because of Government policy and our changing lifestyles, people are using post offices less and many Sub-Postmasters are finding it very hard to keep their businesses open.

"The Liberal Democrats want to see the return of a thriving and profitable post office network, and that means branches will have to offer new services and products. I am here in Leicester to see a very exciting initiative called Community Point which is currently being trialed here. Clearly, there is a great deal of determination among Sub-Postmasters that they will maintain the network. The UK will certainly be the better for it."