Clause 23 - Payments
Tax Credits Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs, Conservative)
I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Beard. At our previous sitting, I was first seeking a clear answer from the Minister about whether the Bill will provide for tax credits to be paid via coupons at post offices in the event that the universal bank arrangements are not up and running by April 2003. In other words, will there be a safety proviso to ensure that tax credits are paid? Secondly, as a matter of principle, if claimants, for whatever bona fide reason, wish to be paid directly at post offices via a coupon process when the new arrangements with the universal bank are in place, can they continue to be paid in that way?