§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of social security payments in each of the past five years have been paid by (a) cheque, (b) bank giro and (c) cash.
§ Mr. NewtonThe proportion of social security expenditure which has been paid by(a) cheque—that is Paymaster General's Office payable order—and (b) Girocheque encashable at post offices in the past five years is as follows:
Payable order per cent. Girocheque per cent 1977–78 5.26 20.13 1978–79 5.27 17.94 1979–80 5.68 15.70 1980–81 6.22 17.64 1981–82 7.63 19.91 Information regarding cash payments at DHSS offices is only readily available for 1981–82 when cash payments accounted for less than 0.01 per cent. of total benefit expenditure. The majority of social security benefits is paid by means of order books encashable at post offices.