§ 2.34 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT LONGMy Lords, I beg leave to ask His Majesty's Government the question that stands on the Order Paper in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are aware that in certain cases depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank are compelled to wait a period of ten days, during which time the book is withheld from their use for the purpose of adding up a page of figures, and whether His Majesty's Government realise that this may involve great hardship to poor persons in cases of emergency (i.e., sickness) and whether they are prepared to take steps to remedy this anomaly.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, the examination of books at Savings Bank Headquarters includes a complete check of the entries in the book against those in the official ledgers, and the calculation and entry in the book of any interest due, as well as the entry of the balance. Books sent up for examination are normally posted back to the depositors within two or three days of receipt, though they may take longer if there is any difficulty in reconciling the entries in the ledger with those in the book. It is the practice to advise a depositor if the book cannot be returned within a few days and, if the book is retained for more than a fortnight, to offer, if desired, the facility of a withdrawal without the book.
§ VISCOUNT LONGMy Lords, in thanking the noble Earl for his reply, may I ask by whose authority this new 380 procedure was instituted; and, further, whether the depositors were given any warning that such procedure was to be adopted?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELThis is not a new procedure. It is carried out on the authority of my right honourable friend, the Postmaster-General. I think that depositors as a general rule are perfectly aware of the present procedure.