To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the timetable is for the competitive tendering process for the new Post Office card account; and when he expects a decision to be made; (113461)

The current Post Office card account contract ends in March 2010. The Government have decided that there will be a new service after 2010. This will have similar features to the Post Office card account. It will be available nationally and customers will be eligible for the account on the same basis as they are now for the Post Office card account. The detailed design for the product, including the name, will be decided as part of the tendering and contractual process. We will set out the timetable for the tendering process in due course.