§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 2 February 2000,Official Report, column 1036, what arrangements will be made to ensure that those who wish it may continue to collect their benefits in cash. [109504]
§ The Prime MinisterWe are moving to automated credit transfer from 2003 as a modern, more secure and efficient method of paying benefits. As I made clear in my reply of 2 February, I expect that by then the Post Office will have developed more agency arrangements with banks to provide banking services—it already has arrangements with Alliance and Leicester, Lloyds TSB and the Co-operative Bank. This will enable benefit recipients to withdraw the full amount of their entitlement in cash at the Post Office if they want.
In addition, the Post Office is planning to install 3,000 cash machines in local Post Offices.