Good news for Cornwall’s Post Offices and motorists

Cornish MP Andrew George has welcomed a deal that will see the Post Office continue to offer DVLA services.

Motorists will be able to tax their cars and apply for or renew driving licences at the Post Office for at least seven more years in a deal with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) announced this week by the Coalition Government.

The Post Office has also won the contract to provide “identity assurance” services for the Government’s Department for Work and Pensions.

West Cornwall MP, Andrew George, said: “Local sub postmasters and postmistresses have expressed concern to me that their Post Office was in danger of losing this important service. I am pleased that the Post Office bid has been successful and that these services have been safeguarded. My Parliamentary colleagues and I will be pressing for more sub post offices to be permitted to provide DVLA work and to be able to extend the range of services they might provide.

“It is also great news that the Post Office will help the Department for Work and Pensions fight benefit fraud through the identity assurance contract.

“Post Offices are a vital part of our communities here and this news, along with the Coalition’s commitment to invest £1bn in the Post Office network, helps to put them on a more sustainable footing for the future.

“This news also furthers the Coalition’s aim to see Post Offices as a front office for Government and I am pleased that this contract means that the Post Offices will be able to bid for other services in the future.”

Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Post Office Minister, Jo Swinson MP, said:

“I am absolutely delighted that Post Office Ltd has won this important DVLA contract. People know the Post Office as a much-loved institution and this shows that it is also a modern, independent, competitive business delivering on its ambitions to become a ‘front office’ for Government.

“This win follows the recent addition of other new services, including the announcement that HSBC plans to offer access to their current accounts at the post office from next spring.

“It’s vital that the post office continues to build on this success to develop and secure more new services for citizens up and down the UK.”