Ministers have defended plans to close four post offices across the district, saying Government money had stopped 12 other closures.

The post offices facing the axe are Bradford Road in Stockbridge, East Morton, Highfield in Belgrave Road, Keighley, Leeds Road in Ilkley and Farnhill, near Skipton.

Post Office Minister Pat McFadden told MPs: "This process is not easy. I do understand any decision involving post office closures will not be a popular one, and will give rise to significant concern in local communities."

Mr McFadden said many more people were using direct debit and the internet to make purchases traditionally made in post offices. More than one million people renewed their tax disc on line this month, many doing so outside the hours which post offices are open.

He told MPs the country had around 800 post offices which had fewer than 16 customers per week, and at those post offices each transaction cost the tax payer £17 Defending the closure programme across the country he said it was not the Government but the Post Office themselves which decided the future of individual branches.

He told MPs more than £1.7 billion was being ploughed in until 2011, as well as the annual subsidy of £150 million to keep branches open that would otherwise be unsustainable.

The Post Office minister's defence comes after the Telegraph & Argus revealed four post offices in Keighley and Ilkley have been earmarked for closure as part of a possible 21 branches closing across the district.

Consultation has been split between the Keighley parliamentary constituency and that of Bradford, which will take place next year.

It had been due to begin in April, but this has been put back to May to avoid making announcements on closures close to the local elections. Bradford's consultation will now begin on May 13.

Bradford Council leader Kris Hopkins said he was "appalled" with yesterday's confirmation of the closures and will spearhead a campaign against the plans.

He said: "By its actions, the Government continues to appear hell bent on ripping the heart out of our communities - for that is the clear consequence of this decision.

"I can assure people our campaign will not come to an end as a result of this announcement. It is simply not a decision we can or will take lying down. The Government must understand it has a huge fight on its hands."