Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [Lords]

We have said that we view 15 years as the appropriate period, so it is not our intention to reduce the dormancy period. The reason for bringing forward an amendment is in order to respond to points made in the other place and as part of the consultation to the effect that there should be greater flexibility and no need to return to primary legislation if certain evidence arises. That will be a matter to discuss in Committee—as I have said, an amendment will be brought forward—but we believe that 15 years is the appropriate period. The figures that I cited from the banks and building societies are obviously the best that we believe are available. Clearly, they are estimates and different ones will be put forward, but it is right to work on the basis of what we believe to be the best figures available. This will need to develop over time as the reclaim fund is established and it becomes clear what sorts of account can be transferred into the scheme. We will have to look at the evidence as things develop. That is why it is right that there should be some kind of review of the scheme as it progresses. In the other place, the Bill was also amended to require banks and building societies to consider any customer-initiated activity, such as correspondence, telephone calls, voting at annual general meetings and so on, when determining whether an account is eligible for the scheme. We recognise the intention behind that amendment because, of course, we would expect banks and building societies to do exactly that, but we do not currently believe that it is necessary to legislate on that point.