§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 30 April 2002,Official Report, column 658W, if MOD pensioners may continue to draw cash at post offices if they have an account with the Halifax Bank of Scotland, the Royal Bank of Scotland or Clydesdale Bank plc under the revised arrangements introduced from April. [60096]
§ The Prime MinisterThe facility to draw cash at post offices for the 2 per cent. of armed forces pensioners affected by the revised arrangements does not extend currently to the accounts with any of these banks. As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 30 April 2002,Official Report, column 658W, pensioners may continue to draw cash at post offices subject to having an account with the Alliance and Leicester, Barclays, Cahoot, Lloyds TSB, Smile or the Co-operative bank. This facility also applies to pensioners who have First Direct accounts, although restricted solely to those residing in Scotland.
From April 2003, however, as part of the universal banking services package, all of the main United Kingdom banks, including those listed in the question, have agreed to make their basic accounts, which include the facility to draw cash, available at post offices.