asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office Corporation to revise the limits within which it is prepared to consider an application for the encashment of funds from a deceased estate in a Post Office savings account or in premium bonds from £500 maximum to £2,000 maximum.

The hon. Gentleman refers to the £500 limit set by the Administration of Estates (Small Payments) Act 1965. This limit is applicable to a number of bodies and is currently under review.