§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any propasals to make compulsory the payment of any benefits through banks rather than post offices.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo, there is no proposal to make payment of benefit through banks compulsory. The Government are considering whether the public should be able to have their benefits paid direct into bank accounts, if they wish, as part of the review being carried out in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner of the arrangements for paying benefits.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in receipt of pension, expressed both numerically and as a percentage of the whole, have asked for payment to be made directly into a bank account for each of the years for which this provision has been available.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 29 January.—[Vol. 977, c.606.]