IN his letter (March 5) headed "Public support can save post offices", what Bury North MP David Chaytor fails to appreciate is that public ownership of any business does not of itself result in good public service.

Post Office Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Mail Group plc of which HM Government is the only shareholder.

The main reason why smaller post offices are struggling is the decision to stop paying pensions and benefits in cash and insisting that they are paid directly into a bank account. As so often with Labour, any element of personal choice is being removed.

What matters to the people of Bury and Ramsbottom is that many of their local post offices are being shut and Labour are in charge.

DAVID NUTTALL,

Conservative

parliamentary spokesman,

Bury North.