§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will seek to ensure that banks allow customers with regular current accounts to access their pensions and benefits at the Post Office; and if she will make a statement. [105577]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Post Office currently provides banking services on behalf of Girobank/Alliance and Leicester, Barclays, Lloyds TSB, the Co-Operative, and the Internet Banks Smile and Cahoot. This (paper-based) service enables customers of these banks to cash cheques at post offices free of charge. The Post Office is in discussion with the banks to modernise these services and to extend commercial arrangements to cover other financial institutions. This is a commercial matter between Post Office Ltd. and the individual financial institutions.
504W
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the(a) banks and (b) building societies that will offer access to (i) standard current accounts and (ii) basic bank accounts through the Post Office. [105578]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Post Office currently provides banking services on behalf of Girobank/Alliance and Leicester, Barclays Lloyds TSB, the Co-Operative, and the Internet Banks Smile and Cahoot. This (paper-based) service enables customers of these banks to cash cheques at post offices free of charge. The Post Office is in discussion with the banks to modernise these services and to extend commercial arrangements to cover other financial institutions.
From April this year the Post Office will provide access to basic bank accounts on behalf of Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland/Nat West, HSBC, Abbey National, HBOS, Alliance and Leicester, NAG, the Co-operative Bank, First Trust, the Bank of Ireland and the Nationwide Building Society.