Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrea Leadsom and Caroline Dinenage

Tuesday 4th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)]

May I urge the Chancellor to support the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in calls for banks not to shut the last branch in a town? HSBC is about to shut its last branch in Lee-on-Solent, leaving businesses with no banking support at all.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Andrea Leadsom)]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. Many people are concerned about bank closures. I recently had a round table with a number of banks and challenger banks to discuss the issue, not least the change towards mobile and telephone banking. We are certainly looking closely at the matter.