§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance his Department has made available to sub-postmasters on promoting the Post Office card account to their customers. [133386]
§ Mr. TimmsNone. The promotion of Post Office products and services is a matter for the company. Post Office Ltd. is providing information to customers and guidance to sub-postmasters on the range of banking options available at post offices, including the Post Office card account.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Post Office card accounts she estimates will be opened. [133389]
§ Mr. TimmsI understand from the Department for Work and Pensions that as of 3 October 2003, 1.25 million customers had requested a Post Office card account and that the Government now expects the total number of card accounts to exceed the 3 million operating assumption.
The number of customers who will eventually choose to open a Post Office card account is difficult to predict: at this stage, as it will depend on a large number of future individual choices.