§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in the case of a savings bank depositor who loses his deposit book, and is unable to give particulars of the book or date of a recent transaction to the Savings Bank Department, such depositor cannot withdraw his money owing to the fact that no index of depositors' names is kept in the Savings Bank Department; and whether he will arrange to have such an index prepared.
§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the representative of a deceased person, supposed to have been a savings bank depositor, who is unable to give particulars of deceased's deposit book, cannot withdraw the money which may be legally due to him owing to the fact that no index of names is kept in the Savings Bank Department; and whether he can state how many such cases have occurred in Great Britain and Ireland respectively during the last five years, and in how many cases have inquirers been informed by the Savings Bank Department that, owing to the fact that no index of depositors' names is kept, no information can be given.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I may perhaps Answer these Questions together. The absence of an alphabetical list of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank is not found to give rise to the difficulties which the hon. Member indicates, as depositors or their representatives are almost always able to furnish sufficient information to enable the department to trace accounts about which inquiry is made. The preparation of a general index would be an undertaking of great magnitude, as it would have to contain upwards of 10,000,000 entries; and its utility would not be sufficient to justify the expense that would be involved.