§ Mr. MacNEILLasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the opportunities for fraud under the new system whereby any sum amounting to £l is paid away by the Post Office Savings Bank on evidence of deposit book alone; whether he can state the number of cases of fraudulent withdrawal from the Post Office Savings Bank under the system of withdrawal on demand during the last six months; and what steps, if any, do the postal authorities contemplate for the abatement of this evil?
§ Mr. BUXTONDuring the period mentioned by my hon. Friend there were 251 cases of fraud in connection with the Post Office Savings Bank system of payment on demand, involving a total loss of a little over £200. During the same period there were nearly three million withdrawals on demand. This shows, I think, that the system affords a real convenience to the public at a very slight risk. It would not be expedient for me to disclose the steps taken by the Post Office for the detection and prevention of fraud.