Post Office Card Account Decision Was Essential

6.22.00pm GMT Thu 13th Nov 2008

Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, has welcomed the decision announced today to award again the Post Office Card Account (POCA) to Post Office Ltd. Mr Wright has been campaigning to keep post offices open across Norwich during a year which has seen the implementation of the Post Office's Network Change programme in Norfolk.

Mr Wright said:

"Our post offices in Norfolk have had a very difficult year. More than 50 have been closed as a result of the national closure programme, and the uncertainty over the future of the Post Office Card Account contract has undermined the confidence of sub-postmasters."

"The decision to award the POCA contract to the Post Office was essential to protect the continued viability of the branch network, as so much business is generated by these accounts."

"However, the months of uncertainty and heartache caused to subpostmasters should have been avoided. The Government should have never put the Post Office Card Account out to tender. It's been a costly process, and the time and money would have been better spent investing in the branch network."