HC Deb 14 July 1903 vol 125 cc578-9
MR. LUNDON (Limerick, E.)

On behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the present number of post office savings banks and also the present number of savings bank depositors in England and Ireland respectively, the present number of trustee savings banks and also the present number of trustee savings bank depositors in England and Ireland respectively and whether greater facilities exist in England than in Ireland for trustee savings bank depositors.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. ELLIOT,) Durham

The number of post offices at which savings bank business is transacted is in England and Wales, 11,626, with 8,469,000 depositors, in Ireland, 1,269, with 433,000 depositors. The number of trustee savings banks is in England and Wales, 157, with 1,076,000 depositors, in Ireland, 13, with 52,000 depositors. The Statute Law is the same for all trustee savings banks, whether in England or in Ireland; and if there are greater facilities in England than in Ireland for the more frequent deposit or withdrawal of money, this is due to the arrangements made by the banks themselves.