Post office futures 'in doubt'

GOVERNMENT plans to sell off the Royal Mail will put the future of local post offices in Edinburgh in jeopardy, a city MP has claimed.

Edinburgh East Labour MP Sheila Gilmore said the UK Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition's Postal Services Bill would end the historic link between the Royal Mail and Post Office Limited, which includes an agreement by the Royal Mail to use the post office network for its counter services.

She said: "With this Bill, Royal Mail could choose to use other outlets for its counter services, such as supermarkets or a high street chain instead, and could easily limit the number of outlets to those in town centres only.

"Promises of extra work from government departments and local authorities are not worth having unless they are turned into bankable contracts. Post offices cannot survive without a guarantee of the business that they get from Royal Mail."