Banking Hubs: Rural and Post-Industrial Communities Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Banking Hubs: Rural and Post-Industrial Communities

Amanda Hack Excerpts
Tuesday 24th February 2026

(1 day, 9 hours ago)

Westminster Hall
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Lucy Rigby Portrait Lucy Rigby
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I will give way first to my hon. Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Amanda Hack).

Amanda Hack Portrait Amanda Hack (North West Leicestershire) (Lab)
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My constituency, including the main town of Coalville, has a strong industrial past. Coalville is not entirely rural, so it does not qualify for a banking hub. Lloyds is abandoning my community and will close a branch in Coalville in June, despite how busy and well used that branch, on a main high street, is. Does she agree that we need to ensure that gaps in bank provision are filled as soon as possible with banking hubs, and that banking hub assessment should include access to business banking, because that is what we really lose when a main high street bank goes off the high street?

Lucy Rigby Portrait Lucy Rigby
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The House will forgive me for not commenting on individual cases, but it is safe to say that I am familiar with the circumstances that my hon. Friend refers to, and I know the urgent nature of some of the issues that she—