§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire of 9 July 2003,Official Report, column 871W, what the April outturn is against the Department for Work and Pensions' target that 85 per cent, of customers should have their benefit paid into their bank accounts by 2005. [125988]
§ Mr. BoatengAt the end of April 2003 around 43 per cent, of United Kingdom benefit customers were having their benefits paid directly into their bank accounts. From early May 2003 there has been a planned increase in activity to bolster the Direct Payment take up rate. A conversion exercise is under way where customers are being contacted and invited to concert to Direct Payment. This is being backed up with a national advertising campaign. Details of the number of invitations issued and responses issued are published in the House of Commons Library.