asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she takes to advertise the fact that retirement pensions can be paid four-weekly or quarterly by banker's order.

A reference to this method of paying retirement pensions is contained in the claim form which prospective pensioners complete and in the explanatory leaflet which is sent to them with that form. The leaflet (NI 15) cross-refers to a more detailed leaflet NI 105, the title of which is "Four weekly and quarterly payments: retirement pensions, widows' benefits" and which contains a form on which to apply for periodic payments. Existing pensioners are advised of the four-weekly or quarterly payment facilities by a note in the information pages in order books.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the saving to her Department when a retirement pension ceases to be paid weekly over a post office counter and is paid quarterly by banker's order.

There is a saving in administration costs of about £3–45 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the current charge to her Department by the Post Office for payment of child allowances per transaction; and how much was paid to the Post Office for this service for the last year for which information is available;(2) what is the current charge to her Department by the Post Office per transaction for payment of retirement pensions; and how much was paid to the Post Office for this service for the last year for which information is available.

The current charges are 4·4p for family allowances and 6·9p for retirement pensions. The total amounts paid for these services for the year ended 31st March 1975 were £9·1 million and £27.1 million respectively. These payments are provisional and subject to adjustment when Post Office actual costs for the year become available.