Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential cost converting to the Payment Exception Service payment card scheme from the current Post Office card account system.

The Department is realising a reduction in costs by encouraging use of transactional bank building society, credit union or internet based accounts, for benefit claimants and pensioners that are able to provide such an account, and contracting for a single payment exception service, for benefit claimants and pensioners that do not.