Carmichael welcomes Post Office-DVLA contract extension

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today welcomed news that the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Post Office have signed an extension to their contract following reports that the DVLA would withdraw services.

More than six million people use the post office network for accessing DVLA services each year. The contract extension is a one-year rolling contract for up to three years. For postmasters, the size of the network is the same, as is the remuneration per transaction they receive.

More than 100,000 people signed the National Federation of Subpostmasters’ petition to keep DVLA services within the post office network and this was delivered to 10 Downing Street on Thursday 2 November.

Mr Carmichael said:

“Well done to the National Federation of Subpostmasters and all those who have worked hard to make the DVLA see sense. This is a win for sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses up and down the country.

“Today’s news on DVLA services is a good first step but this cannot simply be treated as a reprieve for a year or two. Our local post offices in the isles are vital in providing access to cash and face to face services for vulnerable people and those who have no internet access.

“If the government wants to keep our Post Office network functioning then they need to start acting like it – and not just when they come under some pressure. The promise has always been that post offices would be the ‘front office’ of government in communities across the UK – threats to withdraw services are the last thing we need going forward.”