§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received about the proposed payment of benefits directly into bank accounts rather than at post offices; and how many of these representations are(a) in favour and (b) against. [104723]
§ Mr. RookerI have been asked to reply.
Letters often cover a number of subjects but we have received around 500 dealing with ACT in some way.
Starting in 2003, we will be moving to a more modern, secure and efficient method of paying benefits through automated credit transfer (ACT). Payment by ACT will become the norm for paying benefits.
However, we have given an assurance that those benefit recipients, whether paid by ACT or otherwise, will continue to have a choice of where they access their cash, with those who wish to collect at post offices still being able to do so.