Closure of Local RBS branches in and around Aberfeldy

James Heappey Excerpts

Tuesday 20th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP)]

It takes a lot to excite the good people of Aberfeldy and Pitlochry, but the closure of the two Royal Bank of Scotland branches in those communities has exercised and upset my constituents to the extent that they have presented this petition.

The petition states:

The petition of residents of Aberfeldy and Pitlochry,

Declares that the proposed closures of the Aberfeldy and Pitlochry branches of the publicly-owned Royal Bank of Scotland will have a detrimental effect on local communities and the local economy.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Royal Bank of Scotland to reconsider their community-harming and flawed argument about branch closures; further notes that the Royal Bank of Scotland take into account the concerns of petitioners and take whatever steps they can to halt the planned closure of these branches.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P002121]

[James Heappey (Wells) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. A number of Opposition Members have visited the Wells constituency in recent months, most notably the Leader of the Opposition, who has visited twice. Unfortunately, they have not always found the time to give me advance notice of their visits, as was the case last Friday when the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Drew) chaired a public meeting there. With English tourism week upon us next week, it would be selfish not to share with Opposition Members the beauty and heritage of the Wells constituency, but I wonder whether you might be able to advise me of the procedures that colleagues might follow when contributing to the Somerset visitor economy in an official capacity.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Lindsay Hoyle)]

It is wise to remind all Members, of whatever party, that it is courteous to let a Member know if they are visiting on political business. That is now on record, and I am sure that everyone will note it.