LOCAL MP BACKS POSTMASTERS' CAMPAIGN TO SECURE FUTURE OF CARD ACCOUNT

8.50.37am GMT Sun 8th Jun 2008

Local MP Michael Moore has given his backing to the National Federation of Subpostmasters' campaign to ensure that the Post Office network is awarded the contract for the successor to the Post Office card account.

The current Post Office card account contract ends in March 2010, after which a new account will be launched. The Government has tendered for the contract for this new product, and Ministers are expected to announce their decision over who has won the contract very soon.

Mr Moore believes it is vital that local people have access to the Post Office card account in their communities. He said:

"The statistics over the number of people in the Borders who use the Post Office card account speak for themselves. More than 3,500 local people currently use it to collect their State Pension, and a further 3,500 use it to collect benefits.

"Given the current economic climate, with the steep rise in the cost of car travel and increasing food and household bills, it is vital that these people have easy access locally to their account, and to pension and benefit payments in particular.

"Furthermore, without this account, many more post offices will be put at risk than the ones the Government has already eyed up for closure. This contract is critical to the future of the entire network, and any decision other than to award the contract to the Post Office would risk delivering a serious blow to small communities in the Borders."

Mr Moore has signed a parliamentary motion which calls on the Government to award the successor to the Post Office card account to the Post Office.