HC Deb 24 May 1993 vol 225 cc455-7W
Ms Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, columns 445–46, on automated credit transfer, if

Mr. Archie Hamilton

National declarations by signatories of the conventional armed forces in Europe treaty show that between the Atlantic and the Urals, the following forces are held by NATO and Russia at 1 January 1993:

he will publish details of the type of building society or bank account held by 65 per cent. of pensioners and benefit recipients currently paid through the post office; and what percentage of these are savings accounts.

Miss Widdecombe

The information is not available in the form requested. A limited survey was carried out in July 1991 on the type of accounts held by recipients of retirement pension, income support and child benefit only; information on recipients of other benefits is not available. The research asked only about accounts that were suitable for automated credit transfer—ACT—payments, and those that were not are excluded. It should also be noted that the income support figures contain a number of customers paid by girocheque, not all of whom may actually use the post office.

The information available is in the tables. Totals exceed 100 per cent. because many people have more than one type of account.

DSS customers using the post office who have accounts suitable for ACT
Per cent.
Child benefit
Bank account:
Current, with interest 22
Current, no interest 41
Savings-deposit 16
Building Society:
With cheque book 5
No cheque book 46
Other: 7
At least one account suitable for ACT 82
No such account/don't know 16
Refused 2
Retirement pension
Bank account
Current, with interest 23
Current, no interest 31
Savings/deposit 19
Building Society:
With cheque book 4
No cheque book 41
Other: 17
At least one account suitable for ACT 83
No such account/don't know 17
Income support
Bank account:
Current, with interest 19
Current, no interest 10
Savings/deposit 10
Building Society:
With cheque book 3
No cheque book 19
Other: 9

Per cent.
At least one account suitable for ACT 55
No such account/don't know 45