Chamber
Plenary, 06 Dec 2006
06 Dec 2006 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Rural Post Offices
I thank John Swinney—the man who has had more members' business debates than the entire Scottish Green Party in the second session of the Parliament—for securing yet another timely debate on an important topic.
If Westminster dictates that we should not prevent avoidable closures of post offices, we could be on the brink of a disaster in rural Scotland. It is very important that we stop potential degeneration, rather than regeneration, of our rural communities. It was clear from Postwatch Scotland's survey that the situation in Scotland is different from that in England. More people in our rural communities in Scotland are reliant on a local post office. If those post offices close, we will see the most disadvantaged in our society suffering: the elderly, people on low incomes, people with disabilities and people who do not own a car. We can add to that list home workers and people with small businesses in rural communities. Many respondents to the Postwatch Scotland survey who own and run small businesses said that they would be unable to do so if they were living in communities without a post office service.
As John Swinney said, closure of the post offices would create unsustainable communities. They would be environmentally unsustainable because people would have to travel huge distances to access post office services. They would be socially unsustainable because closures would impact most on disadvantaged groups. They would be economically unsustainable because they would lose local businesses that create wealth and enable wealth to circulate within our local communities.
A couple of things must come out of the debate. First, the clear message to the minister is that she must lobby Westminster to ensure that a funding formula that does not penalise rural Scotland is adopted to support rural local post offices. The formula must recognise the social value that post offices deliver. Government departments must continue to allow their services to be delivered through our rural post office network.
Secondly, we must act within the powers that we have. I remain concerned that city regions will peripheralise our rural hinterland and that many settlements will turn into faceless dormitory towns, rather than vibrant communities, without services. The Executive must take a lead and ensure that there is dialogue with local authorities, Scottish Enterprise and community councils to examine how we support and develop action plans for rural services.
Of course, our rural post offices do not only deliver a public service—they also deliver private services. An excellent example of that is in Blackford in my region. The importance of the post office in Blackford is that it also keeps the local shop running. I will finish with some quotations from people in Blackford that reflect the importance of the post office. One person stated that it is
"A hub for the village. A place for taking names for OAP meals and competitions etc. Medical prescriptions can be collected."
Another said:
"My bank is 18 miles away. I do all my banking locally."
People in rural areas need the post office network. We must see action to regenerate our rural communities, not degenerate them.
If Westminster dictates that we should not prevent avoidable closures of post offices, we could be on the brink of a disaster in rural Scotland. It is very important that we stop potential degeneration, rather than regeneration, of our rural communities. It was clear from Postwatch Scotland's survey that the situation in Scotland is different from that in England. More people in our rural communities in Scotland are reliant on a local post office. If those post offices close, we will see the most disadvantaged in our society suffering: the elderly, people on low incomes, people with disabilities and people who do not own a car. We can add to that list home workers and people with small businesses in rural communities. Many respondents to the Postwatch Scotland survey who own and run small businesses said that they would be unable to do so if they were living in communities without a post office service.
As John Swinney said, closure of the post offices would create unsustainable communities. They would be environmentally unsustainable because people would have to travel huge distances to access post office services. They would be socially unsustainable because closures would impact most on disadvantaged groups. They would be economically unsustainable because they would lose local businesses that create wealth and enable wealth to circulate within our local communities.
A couple of things must come out of the debate. First, the clear message to the minister is that she must lobby Westminster to ensure that a funding formula that does not penalise rural Scotland is adopted to support rural local post offices. The formula must recognise the social value that post offices deliver. Government departments must continue to allow their services to be delivered through our rural post office network.
Secondly, we must act within the powers that we have. I remain concerned that city regions will peripheralise our rural hinterland and that many settlements will turn into faceless dormitory towns, rather than vibrant communities, without services. The Executive must take a lead and ensure that there is dialogue with local authorities, Scottish Enterprise and community councils to examine how we support and develop action plans for rural services.
Of course, our rural post offices do not only deliver a public service—they also deliver private services. An excellent example of that is in Blackford in my region. The importance of the post office in Blackford is that it also keeps the local shop running. I will finish with some quotations from people in Blackford that reflect the importance of the post office. One person stated that it is
"A hub for the village. A place for taking names for OAP meals and competitions etc. Medical prescriptions can be collected."
Another said:
"My bank is 18 miles away. I do all my banking locally."
People in rural areas need the post office network. We must see action to regenerate our rural communities, not degenerate them.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-4876, in the name of John Swinney, on a threat to the rural post office network in Sco...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the public concern over the future of the rural post office network in Perthshire, Angus and other parts of rural Scotland; notes t...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the many members who signed my motion and the Parliamentary Bureau for facilitating an important debate about the future of services in rural Scotlan...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
Does the member agree that it is not only rural post offices that are at risk, but the whole network of post offices across the country, which is under inten...
Mr Swinney:
SNP
Mr Swinburne makes a fair point. I will say something about the business viability of post offices being jeopardised.Due to the limitations of transport in r...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
There is a very long list of members who wish to speak in the debate. I will discuss with the minister whether we might have a brief extension. However, ther...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
I congratulate John Swinney on instigating this timely debate. At a presentation on 30 November, Tom Begg, the chairman of Postwatch Scotland, said that rura...
Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The member is almost at the end of her time.
Nora Radcliffe:
LD
The report continues:"If the country wants a comprehensive network of Post Offices to continue, a more explicit funding mechanism must be put in place, toget...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Can you wind up please?
Nora Radcliffe:
LD
There are many things that could and should be done to maintain a unique network that is a valuable asset. If we do not use it, we will lose it and, if we lo...
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate my colleague John Swinney on securing tonight's debate. On 22 September in Birnam, he and I sat at a packed meeting with sub-postmasters from ...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I congratulate John Swinney on securing a debate on what is an important matter for the whole of rural Scotland.I appreciate that support for sub-post office...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
I thank John Swinney for bringing this important debate to the Parliament this evening.Post office closures have a significant knock-on impact on local commu...
Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
I thank John Swinney for securing this debate. It is significant that a large number of MSPs from across the political divide are attending and want to speak...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I thank John Swinney for securing the debate.It is clear to me that we need to have joined-up thinking in our own back yard before we make a case for it to L...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I thank John Swinney—the man who has had more members' business debates than the entire Scottish Green Party in the second session of the Parliament—for secu...
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
My last members' business debate earlier in the year was on the subject of the future of Post Office card accounts and the future of our post office network,...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I offer John Swinney my warmest congratulations on securing the debate. I am sure that it will worry him that I agree with every word he said.If we were to c...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate John Swinney on securing the debate and, like Jamie Stone, agree with every word that he said. As another MSP for the Highlands and Islands, I...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Before I call the next speaker, I am minded to accept a motion without notice to extend the debate by 10 minutes.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 6.04 pm.—Mr John Swinney.
Motion agreed to.
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate John Swinney on securing this debate, but the problem with debates on post offices is that we have to revisit the issue so often. If, as Jamie...
Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD):
LD
I, too, congratulate John Swinney on securing this debate.The pre-1997 UK Government had the unhappy record of overseeing the closure of 3,500 local post off...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
Rural communities are at the heart of the debate. I have the privilege of representing one of the three parliamentary constituencies in Aberdeenshire, where ...
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Rhona Brankin):
Lab
I, too, am pleased that John Swinney has given us the opportunity to discuss further the important subject of rural postal services. I have rural postal serv...