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Funeral Payments

My hon. Friend is right. I think that we have all encountered such examples when canvassing because the electoral register is out of date. We may have written letters to deceased people, and perhaps caused distress to relatives. The ““tell us once”” system would deal with that. I do not think that local authority electoral services are explicitly part of the process, but I will convey what my hon. Friend has said to our right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, who I believe oversees electoral matters. We have come a long way. The Department's bereavement service was fully rolled out in March 2011, and we have recently surveyed customers who have used it. They have ranked it"““above many other well known organisations that customers have to deal with when reporting a death””." One customer said:"““I ...was surprised that a Public Service was that good and sympathetic and the staff were well trained. It really made a difference to something I was dreading. I was treated like a human being””." Another said:"““I was impressed that it was all done in one call, it was also a huge sigh of relief for me””." Let me give one final quote:"““We spoke about help with funeral costs and she completed the form there and then for me. I couldn't have done this on my own.””" I am most grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes South for raising this set of issues. They are clearly vital and all our constituents will face them at one point or another in their lives. Ms Evans faced a very difficult and tragic situation five years ago, which was not helped by her dealings with the Department for Work and Pensions or other Government bodies. I pay tribute to her for taking the issues forward in such a constructive way, and I hope I have reassured my hon. Friend that we have listened and responded. Question put and agreed to.