§ Bob Spink (Castle Point) (Con)My constituency, like many others, has suffered from post office closures. We recently had three post offices closed, not to be replaced, and a further three post office closures are now threatened. I wish to present two petitions—one to save the Benfleet high road post office and one to save the Victoria corner post office in Hadleigh. I hope to speak about those tomorrow if I manage to catch your eye, Madam Deputy Speaker. The first petition reads:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled.The Humble Petition of Cllr Dave Cross, Cllr Tom Skipp and others of like disposition shewethThat there is great public concern caused by the proposal to close the Post Office in the High Road Benfleet which will damage our shopping area and threatens the very fabric of our community, hurting vulnerable people the most and that this closure, coming after so many other Post Office closures, is insensitive.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House shall implore the Government to change its policies on Post Office closures and on the payment of benefits and pensions and the provision of full banking services so that Post Offices are made more viable and retained.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.To lie upon the Table.The second petition relates to the Victoria corner post office. It states:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled.The Humble Petition of Miss Elizabeth Govier, Cllr Beverley Egan and others shewethThat there is considerable concern over the proposal to close the Post Office at Victoria Corner, Kiln Road, which serves people from Thundersley and Hadleigh and Benfleet, and that this closure would damage our shopping area and threatens the fabric of our society and community, hurting vulnerable people the most, particularly in the light of so many other recent Post Office closures.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House shall urge the Government to change its policies on Post Office closures and on the payment of benefits and pensions and the provision of full banking services so that Post Offices are made more viable and retained.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.To lie upon the Table.