§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the planned phases for the transfer of benefit payments to automated credit transfer. [60843]
§ Malcolm WicksCustomers will be moved from order books and girocheques to payment into a bank or building society account on a benefit by benefit basis. This will start in 2003 and we plan to finish two years later. We plan to start to contact the first customers in late 2002. Even after the move to payments directly into accounts, customers will still be able to continue to collect their benefits in cash from the Post Office if they wish.