HC Deb 24 March 2003 vol 402 cc98-9W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been registered for Post Office card accounts. [100448]

Malcolm Wicks

As at 21 February 2003, a total of 77,648 customers have requested a Post Office card account.

Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he wall make a statement on the decision to delay the issue of personal invitation documents for the post office card account. [91139]

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) for what reason the distribution of automated credit transfer personal invitation letters was delayed; [91292]

(2) when (a) tax credit and (b) benefit claimants will be able to use the Post Office card account. [91293]

Malcolm Wicks

As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, set out in his written answer of 3 December 2002 to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable),Official Report, columns 735–36W, the Government have decided to build up the number of benefit customers arid pensioners that we pay through the Post Office card account gradually, starting from April 2003. This is to ensure that the systems supporting the Post Office card account are reliable and robust, and have proved themselves in live running, before we start to pay large numbers of customers through them. My Department's current plans for issuing Personal Invitation Documents meet our intention that, subject to acceptance of the card account service, we can start to pay some people through the Post Office card account from April 2003.

The Inland Revenue plan to start to issue Personal Invitation Documents to tax credit customers at an appropriate point of few months after April 2003. Once tax credit customers have received their Personal Invitation Documents they will then be able to complete the Post Office application form for a card account. Tax credit customers who have a Post Office card account for their DWP benefits can start to use it for their tax credits immediately.

None of this will affect people's choices, and in the intervening period until they receive their Personal Invitation Documents, tax credit customers opting for a Post Office card account will be paid by giro and DWP customers by order book or giro.