Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [HL]

I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Higgins, on persuading the Public Bill Office that this was a proper amendment. In hearing what he has read from the passbook, I can see how that was easier than some matters dealing with insurance, and so forth. I have been here in this very Room previously, when considering the Northern Ireland budget. We have finance debates about every six months, and I spotted that there was an organisation called Ulster Savings, which was clearly specific to Northern Ireland. It had b8een decided to close that scheme down. Every six months, I raised with various Ministers the question of the residual orphan funds left in Ulster Savings. I was told several times that I was just a bit too soon. They were still looking at it and, although there were no staff left in Ulster Savings, they thought there might still be people knocking at the door and were not quite ready. On the final occasion, they were moving off the accounts and all we got were the previous year’s figures, and there was nothing for that year. I raised the subject again, and ultimately I got a letter saying that the funds had already been spent on the people and were not available. I understand that argument, but the noble Lord, Lord Higgins, was referring to the fact that the Government are halfway in—it is hokey-cokey. They are going to put the National Savings and Investments funds in the reuniting campaign and they may be reunited, but they are not going to be available for the main scheme. I think there is a big problem here because we keep being told about the voluntary scheme, and the Government are expecting banks and building societies to be willing volunteers, but they are not. I support this amendment to widen the scheme and bring in National Savings and Investments.