Consequent to the DSC plans coming to light that they had decided in principle to pursue the introduction of a pre-payment card system for the distribution of benefits, the General Secretary of the UK’s National Federation of Subpostmasters, Mr George Thomson, visited the island late last week in order to familiarise himself with the situation here.
These enquiries culminated in a joint meeting between the General Secretary, the Minister of Social Care, Chris Robertshaw, MHK, the Minister of the Department of Economic Development, John Shimmin MHK, and the Isle of Man representative of the Federation, Mr John Smith.
All parties found the meeting helpful – in particular the way in which the General Secretary explained how the UK’s Post Office Counter Service was adapting to changing market circumstances.
The meeting concluded with the following understandings:
1. That the Department of Social Care would advise all interested parties at the earliest opportunity as soon as it had identified an outline timetable for the proposed introduction of a card payment system.
2. That the Isle of Man Post Office would be given the opportunity to quote for the provision of a card payment system alongside other potential providers
The content of this press release has been agreed by all three parties to the above meeting.
