HC Deb 22 July 2002 vol 389 cc805-7W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what format the information provided to benefits claimants regarding their choice of means to access their entitlement will be given; and if he will make a statement. [70530]

Malcolm Wicks

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare (Brian Cotter) on 11 June 2002,Official Report, column 874w.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much it will cost a benefits claimant to collect their entitlement in cash from a post office using(a) a Post Office card account, (b) a basic or no frills bank account and (c) an ordinary bank or building society account; and if he will make a statement. [70529]

Malcolm Wicks

People using univeral banking services—access to the banks' basic bank accounts at post office branches and the card account at the Post Office—will be able to access their money free of charge from the Post Office.

The Post Office also has network banking arrangements with a number of banks which allow customers to access current accounts at post office branches. The banks involved do not normally charge their customers for making withdrawals from their accounts.

Customers who have current accounts with banks outside the network banking arrangements can cash a cheque at the Post Office, but will be charged for doing so.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research has been compiled on the cost savings relating to the changeover of benefit payments from payment book to ACT; and if he will make a statement on the results. [70191]

Malcolm Wicks

The move to payment directly into bank and building society accounts assures a safe, convenient, more modern and efficient way of paying benefits and pensions and will bring very substantial savings. Against this, we will incur some additional costs, including those to Post Office Ltd. for the provision of the new card account at the Post Office. The precise costs will depend on the number of card accounts.

Our costings in this area have been based on a number of sources, including the administrative costs of current methods of payment and losses from instrument of payment fraud.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has made for emergency benefit payments if the system for providing benefit claims collapses; and if he will make a statement. [70531]

Malcolm Wicks

The Department has contingency arrangements in place to maintain continuity of benefit payment in the event of benefit system failure. The specific contingency response would be determined by the type and extent of the failure presented.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when and what information will be given to benefit claimants regarding their choice of means to gain access to their entitlement; and whether the information given will be impartial. [70605]

Malcolm Wicks

The Department is currently planning an information campaign to give customers the information they need about the move to paying directly into bank/building society accounts. The campaign will aim to present information on the changes in a straightforward way that helps our customers make the best choices for their circumstances. This will build on the research we have already undertaken to get a first hand understanding of customer needs. Customers will be contacted directly when it is their turn to change.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he plans to place an explanatory leaflet in post offices before the introduction of the universal bank, explaining to customers the different options that will be open to them for claiming their benefits once the universal bank is established. [71787]

Malcolm Wicks

the Department is currently planning a campaign to give customers the factual information they need to make an informed choice. We are working closely with the Post Office and others to ensure that this information can be provided in a consistent way across a range of sources. One possible option is to provide material at post offices but no final decision has yet been taken.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for enabling the temporary collection of benefit payments by persons other than the benefit recipient; and if he will make a statement. [70532]

Malcolm Wicks

Already payments for over 40 per cent. of customers are paid directly into bank and building society accounts. They have a number of options for when they are unable to get to the bank or the post office, and these will continue.

Forward to