To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions on the timetable of pension and benefits payments in the period before Christmas 2007. (174870)

None. However, I understand from Post Office Ltd. that it is confident that its horizon system has the capacity to cope with the number of transactions expected to take place on 24 December. State pensions for 1.4 million Post Office card account holders will be payable from 21 December giving those pensioners the choice of three days on which to draw their pensions and spreading the transaction volumes for sub-post offices and the Horizon system. Post Office Ltd. will monitor performance of its systems closely in the days preceding the holiday period and has comprehensive contingency plans in place.