In Parliament

A strategy agreed by the UK Labour Government means the Crown Post Office in Springburn is now under direct threat of closure.

With no banks locally, and the post office an anchor tenant within Springburn shopping centre, its closure would be wholly unacceptable, undermine financial inclusion and hamper regeneration efforts.

I raised this matter with the First Minister today and have written to the UK Government to halt this flawed process. They must engage with the local community and trade unions to ensure the Post Office has a strong and vibrant future in Springburn

Full exchange with the First Minister

Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)

My constituency has no banks—they have all deserted the communities that I serve. In Springburn town centre, however, there is a Crown post office. It is an anchor tenant in the local shopping centre and provides a vital service to hundreds of customers every week. A strategy that has been agreed by the United Kingdom Labour Government and taken forward by the Post Office could axe that service, which would be a body blow for financial inclusion and local regeneration plans.

How can the Scottish Government support areas such as Springburn that are facing such challenges? Will the First Minister write to the UK Government, as I have done, urging it to halt that flawed process and to engage meaningfully with local communities and trade unions to ensure that that post office can have a strong and vibrant future at the heart of Springburn?

The First Minister (John Swinney)

I understand the importance of the point that Mr Doris puts to me. I can confirm that the Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, has written to the UK Government on the question.

In the absence of banking facilities, post offices become central to the delivery of access to finance for individuals. I note the concerns that Mr Doris has raised and that there was a parliamentary debate on the subject the other day, led by Kenneth Gibson. That provides an illustration of the degree of parliamentary concern on the question.

I confirm that that letter has been written, and we will engage with the UK Government to try to find a different approach to that flawed process.