Consumer Focus Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s budget commitment of one million pounds to establish a Post Office Diversification Fund for Scotland. The announcement comes just a week after Consumer Focus Scotland backed the proposal in a Scottish Parliament debate on increasing support for post offices.

Douglas Sinclair, Chair of Consumer Focus Scotland, said: “Local community post offices are more important than ever in these hard economic times. This fund will support community post offices to develop their facilities and services to better meet the needs and expectations of the people they serve.”

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Notes to Editors

1. Consumer Focus Scotland backed the establishment of a Post Office Diversification Fund in last week’s Scottish Parliament debate on the issue. It follows the launch of a similar scheme in Wales last year which enables subpostmasters to apply for grants worth £20,000 for capital projects and £15,000 for revenue costs.
2. Consumer Focus Scotland is rooted in over 30 years of work promoting the interests of consumers, particularly those who experience disadvantage in society. We work for consumers in aspects of their lives: as council tenants, householders, patients, parents, solicitors’ clients, public transport users, bank depositors and borrowers, postal service users and as shoppers.

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