MR. HENNIKER-HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, whether any account is kept of unclaimed deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank; what is the total of such deposits at this moment, 440 and how the money is applied; whether any effort is made to distinguish between deposits merely left for unusually long periods at interest and deposits overlooked or forgotten; and whether he will cause an index of all depositors to be kept at the Head Office, open to inspection on proof of the bona fides of the applicant?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY,) Nottingham, E.In the Post Office Savings Bank a strict account is kept of the sums standing to the credit of every depositor, and in the case of accounts not recently operated on the interest is added, and the money accumulates in the same manner as in other accounts within the limits prescribed by law. The Post Office Savings Bank has only been in existence 33 years; and it is premature to say that any of its accounts are "overlooked or forgotten." The Department can at any time be called upon to discharge its liability; and not unfrequently demands are made after the lapse of many years. The suggestion contained in the last paragraph of the hon. Member's question would necessitate the preparation of a list of over 6,000,000 names, which are constantly changing, entailing great cost and considerable trouble to the Department. The best information available is always given whenever application is made and the circumstances justify it.