In this clip from Prime Minister’s Questions back in 2004, Andrew Rosindell MP raises concerns about sudden closures of post offices in Romford, calling for urgent intervention from the then Deputy Prime Minister, the late John Prescott, who was standing in for Prime Minister Tony Blair.
This issue was contentious at the time, and should remind us all of the public services that continue to be closed on the watch of Havering Council and the Labour Government.
Will the Deputy Prime Minister personally intervene to ensure that the chaotic mess in our post office system is sorted out? He might not be aware of this, but last week, the main post office in Romford was closed at only four days notice. Coupled with that, a number of local sub-post offices are threatened with closure. When will he restore order to this vital public service?
Andrew Rosindell M.P., Member of Parliament for Romford
There will be a debate on that matter later, but we have discussed it at Question Time and during debates, and the Prime Minister has always made it clear that £400 million has been put in to develop the post office system and to prevent closures. That closures are continuing has been admitted from this Dispatch Box, but that amount of money has been put in to modernise and to help, and it has prevented a lot of closures. That has been going on for a long time. We have made it clear that pension payments can be made through a post office or a bank, and we are trying to find a good way of operating that will keep as many post offices as possible in existence. Many more would have closed had it not been for the financial support that this Government have given.
The Rt Hon. John Prescott M.P., Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
