Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has secured a House of Commons debate following threats to several Post Offices across the constituency.
The Post Office has launched a consultation on the future of services in Blackhall, following the closure of a sub-Post Office on Duart Crescent, Drum Brae.
In the last year, there have also been changes to services in Ratho, Corstorphine and Saughton Mains.
Earlier this year, Ms Jardine joined her Liberal Democrat colleague Alistair Carmichael to call for better pay and conditions for Sub-Postmasters and Postmistresses.
She believes that if this does not improve, more facilities will close, leaving elderly and vulnerable residents without access to vital services, and will use her debate on November 27th to call for more support for her constituents.
Ms Jardine said: “I am delighted to have secured this important debate on behalf of people across Edinburgh West who desperately need Post Offices in their community.
“Many Post Offices have become lifelines for elderly, isolated and vulnerable customers, as they have replaced the counter services of many bank branches that have closed in towns and cities.
“For customers without access to the internet, Post Offices have also become more and more important, with an increasing reliance on online services for banking or paying bills.
“It is incredibly disappointing to see no action from the Government to improve pay for hardworking sub-postmasters and postmistresses to reflect the vital work they do.
“I will be calling on the Government to invest in the future of Post Office services to stop future closures in Edinburgh West and prevent more of my constituents being cut off.”
Christine Jardine’s contribution during Alistair Carmichael’s debate on Sub-Postmaster and Postmistress remuneration can be found here:
“I agree completely with my right honourable Friend: remote areas have been hit hard by the declining number of post offices, but we are also seeing that in cities. One of the problems it brings is that post offices were meant to replace the counter services of many bank branches that have closed, so we have many elderly pensioners who are not online and now have even fewer options for getting their pension or going to the bank.“
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