Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether there are any lessons to be learned by Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal programme from the HS2 programme.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The R&R Client Team, the R&R Delivery Authority and independent reviewers undertaking work on R&R have reflected on the lessons learned from HS2 set out in published reports and reviews. The recently published Stewart Review on HS2 is being carefully considered and its findings, in areas such as governance, the need for time and space for proper planning and development, and cost and schedule, will inform the development of the R&R costed proposals which are expected to be published later this year. Reports by the Public Accounts Committee, National Audit Office, the Institution of Civil Engineers, and the Office for Value for Money will also continue to be embedded within the R&R Programme as the programme evolves.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the continued acceptance of personal cheques by banks.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Cheques remain an important part of the UK’s payments landscape. While there has been a decline in overall cheque volumes, they continue to be used by many individuals, businesses, charities and other voluntary organisations. Cheques can be deposited through a range of different channels, including at local bank branches, shared Banking Hubs and the Post Office.

To secure the future of cheque usage in the UK, HM Treasury introduced legislative measures in 2015 to allow banks and building societies to introduce ‘cheque imaging’. Cheque imaging allows a digital image of a cheque to be sent for clearing, rather than the paper cheque itself, and has also enabled people to pay in cheques via their smartphone or tablet.