Today’s statement in the House of Commons that the Government will retain Post Office Card accounts is a victory for the entire community. Over the past few months I received hundreds of representations from my constituents calling for the Post Office Card Accounts to remain.

I had lobbied the Government to keep this much-utilised service in place as it is very popular for claimants of benefits, pensions and tax credits. In many instances Post Office card accounts are easier to open, access and operate than bank accounts, and the public let it be known that they are in favour of their accounts remaining in place, especially when there was no viable alternative proposal in place. With the proposed removal of this scheme, many of the most vulnerable in our society would have been affected most

Today’s decision is also important for sub-postmasters, as the removal of the card accounts scheme was likely to seriously threaten the profitability of many Post Office branches, particularly those in rural areas, and it is extremely gratifying that the card accounts will continue to help secure the future of many branches, and this decision will come as a huge relief to postal workers and customers alike