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Business of the House

To echo Members who have spoken previously, may we please have a statement on the disgraceful decision of the Department for Work and Pensions to abolish the Post Office card account? May we also have a debate and a vote on that? Surely, in view of the number of signatures on the early-day motion, the Government cannot abolish the card account without a vote in Parliament. Can we also have a debate on the implications for small post offices? The Royal Mail’s universal service obligation gives little protection to rural post offices. For example, within the PA postcode area, the Royal Mail could shut every post office on every island in my constituency and still conform to the terms of the USO. That is completely unacceptable, and surely it must be altered.