Oral Answers to Questions

Ruth George Excerpts

Tuesday 11th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

Yes. There cannot be strong defence without a strong economy.

[Ruth George (High Peak) (Lab)]

In the next two months, the Royal Bank of Scotland will close all but 56 branches in cities across England, leaving banking deserts in towns and rural areas like mine. What is the Chancellor doing to use the Government’s shareholding to exert public pressure on RBS and ensure that we have no banking deserts?

[John Glen]

The Government hold a 62.3% shareholding, but we do not run the bank. Decisions on the branch network are a matter for the bank.