§ Mr. Alan ReidTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many recipients of state pensions who used a pension book to collect their pension have been written to by his Department to inform them that they must change to a direct payment method; and how many have chosen to have their payments made into(a) a bank or building society account and (b) a post office card account; [124081]
(2) pursuant to the statement of 11 June 2003 by the Minister for Pensions, Official Report, column 773, when the first report will be placed in the Library. [124133]
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§ Mr. PondPensioners are being provided with straightforward information about all of their account options so they can choose the account which is right for them.
Pensioners who want to continue to collect their money from the Post Office can choose a current account which offers post office access, a basic bank account or the new Post Office card account.
The letters and leaflets being sent to pensioners set out the procedures for opening a Post Office card account. So far over 74,000 pensioners—half of those who have responded—have chosen a card account.
The first report, containing figures up to the 27 June 2003, has been placed in the Library.