Oral Answers to Questions

Sharon Hodgson Excerpts

Tuesday 1st October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I do not believe that I detected a question.

[Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West) (Lab)]

6. What assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction of free-to-use cash machines on high streets on people’s access to cash.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen)]

The UK has an extensive and internationally enviable free ATM network. We know that many people still use cash day to day, and we have committed to safeguarding cash for those who need it. I am delighted that UK Finance and LINK are leading industry efforts to protect free cash access. That culminated in UK Finance launching the Community Access to Cash initiative just yesterday.

[Mrs Hodgson]

The Minister says that, but news that NoteMachine is to convert 3,000 of its 7,000 free-to-use cash machines to pay-to-use machines is of great concern to my constituents. According to Which?, we have lost 15% of our free-to-use ATMs over the past year alone. The previous Labour Government formed an agreement with ATM operators and the Treasury to plug gaps in financially deprived areas where people had to pay to access their cash, so what are this Government going to do to prevent people being charged just for trying to access their own money?

[John Glen]

Use of cash has reduced significantly faster than expected over the past 10 years. I am meeting UK Finance and LINK tomorrow to ensure that their mechanism is good for the current situation. The new initiative to which I referred in my previous response will give communities up and down the country the opportunity to engage with UK Finance on better and new solutions.