Oral Answers to Questions

Caroline Flint Excerpts

Wednesday 13th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am very happy to join my hon. Friend in thanking all who work in our NHS and social care sector, including those from across the European Union. They do incredible work, and it is absolutely right that we recognise the contribution that EU nationals make in this sector but also across our economy and our society. That is why we want people to be able to stay and we want families to be able to stay together. I am very pleased that the arrangements that were published in the joint progress report between the United Kingdom and the European Union last Friday show very clearly, on citizens’ rights, that where people have made the life choice to be here in the United Kingdom, we will support them and enable them to carry on living their lives as before.

[Caroline Flint (Don Valley) (Lab)]

Q9. In her answers so far, the Prime Minister has shown that she has not got a clue about the concerns of small towns. Today and on 14 June, the Prime Minister said that no one and no community will be left behind, but the Doncaster market towns of Thorne and Bawtry have just been told that their NatWest branches are to close. That is two more bank branch closures on top of a record-breaking 700 this year, despite the big four banks delivering £13.5 billion half-year profits. Will the Prime Minister admit that the Government’s access to banking protocol has failed to keep a single branch open, and will she restore the bank levy and use some of it to stop communities losing their last bank branch?

[The Prime Minister]

I responded to the leader of the Scottish National party earlier in relation to RBS closures, which I think is what the right hon. Lady is referring to. She and others need to accept that people’s behaviour in relation to bank branches has changed over the years and there is less demand, but we have the access to banking standard in place. She referred to the bank levy. Let us be very clear: there is a bank levy, and there is also a corporation tax surcharge for banks. This Government are raising more money from the banks than the Labour Government ever did.