§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress with his discussions with the banking industry concerning charges levied on holocaust survivors in respect of conversion of pensions from deutschmarks to sterling.[122449]
§ Mr. ByersEarlier this year I approached a number of major banks about their charging policy in respect of regular payments made by the German Government to survivors of the Holocaust living in the UK.
I am pleased that all the major banks have agreed to waive their charges relating to holocaust payments in future. The Department of Trade and Industry will seek the help of the German authorities to identify those who might benefit from this arrangement, but in the meantime potential beneficiaries should make themselves known to one of the following banks: Bank of Scotland; Barclays; HSBC; Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland/National Westminster.
These banks have agreed to waive future charges. Because of the large number of other payments the banks process, those who receive Holocaust-related payments from the German Government through a bank account should contact one of these banks to benefit from this new arrangement.