Post Office chairman Julie Edge insisted the planned changes to the pension scheme were designed to protect staff.

Responding to the at times acrimonious debate, she said: ’It is vitally important that all members know that the reasons for the changes to the pension are to protect the current workforce.

’We all need to remember we are approving in principle and we will have to come back with legislative changes.’

In terms of reducing to a five-day week for letter deliveries, she claimed postal workers had been asking for that for years.

’We are honouring what the workforce have asked for,’ she said.

She rounded on criticism from Department for Enterprise members.

’It is really disappointing that the members for Department for Enterprise Mrs Caine, Mr Callister have not visited the Isle of Man Post Office,’ she said.

’They have listened to the workforce, they have listened to unions but they have not listed to the executive of Isle of Man Post Office. I find that discourteous to the executive team and the board of the Post Office to not have done that.’

Responding to criticism of the financial figures by Mr Hooper she pointed out the Post Office accounts were audited by the same auditor as other government accounts.

’It is not just the accountant at Isle of Man Post Office,’ she said.