A DORSET MP has raised the issue of post office closures in the House of Commons.

Bob Walter, MP for North Dorset, said he was concerned at the rate of rural post office closures in recent years and urged the government to rethink its policy on paying benefits direct into accounts.

He said in Parliament: "Although all rural members are used to the occasional pub or filling station closure in their constituency, the closure of sub-post offices in villages in my constituency happens too often."

Among the post office closures in the last year listed by the Conservative MP were Bryanston, Winterborne White-church, and Glanvilles Wootton. Going back five years Tarrant Gunville, Weston and Lydlinch had also been lost.

Pimperne and Hazel-bury Bryan post offices had also closed but fortunately re-opened.

In the Commons Mr Walter said: "The net loss of village post offices is symptomatic of an underlying problem.

"The village postmasters are under pressure. Several have told me that village businesses no longer buy stamps from them because they are being offered stamps at a discount direct from the Post Office.

"Car tax is a matter for the DVLA, not for the rural post office."

Mr Walter added: "But the key threat is the changeover in the benefits business.

"The village post office is a key part of the social fabric of the countryside and the strategy for transferring benefits business is confused for both the sub postmasters involved and for the public whose benefits will be involved."

He warned: "The result will be the closure of more vital village post offices.

"Post Office facilities affect the elderly and their closure is a disaster for the many in those villages which have no public transport and is usually soon followed by the closure of the village shop."

Afterwards, Mr Walter told the Echo: "It was a good debate but the government seems insensitive to the effect of their policy on benefit payments.

"I fear many more village post offices will be threatened with closure."