§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to invite tenders for the supply of automatic benefits cash payments; whether he proposes 621W to make changes for the use of automatic benefit payments machines; and whether the location of such machines will be confined to premises which are part of the Post Office Counters network.
§ Mr. HagueThe Benefits Agency is exploring options to involve the private sector in the project to automate the payment of benefits through post offices. This project will involve linking post offices with the Benefits Agency to enable the positive authorisation of benefits at the point of payment, but transactions will still be carried out by post office clerks. We have no plans to instal automatic teller machines in post offices or elsewhere to pay benefits. The question of charges for machines does not therefore apply.