§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the steps the Government are taking to ensure that there is fair treatment for Government money transfer business as between Giro and the services offered by the Paymaster-General's office and the banks.
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§ Mr. Dell:Departments have recently been reminded that in deciding how to transmit money they should have adequate up to date information, including competitive quotations where appropriate, to form a sound basis for judgment. New guidance has been issued about how the costs of money transmission by various services should be assessed in order that a fair choice should be made.
§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the banks, including the Paymaster-General and the National Giro, whose services each Department uses and the proportion of business, in terms of transactions and turnover, carried out by each: and if he will give details of the last occasion on which any Department put its banking out to tender, with an indication of how frequently this occurs.
§ Mr. Dell:The information sought is not readily available centrally. Departments have recently been reminded of the need to review their methods of transmission of money from time to time. These reviews should normally be carried out not less frequently than once every five years, and should include the seeking as appropriate of fresh proposals from suitable agencies.