RBS Rural Branch Closures Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

RBS Rural Branch Closures

Stephen Gethins Excerpts
Monday 18th December 2017

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ian Blackford Portrait Ian Blackford
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I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Of course, it is not just about those 13 branches. There is justified anger in many communities surrounding the 62 branches signalled for closure in Scotland and the 259 in the United Kingdom. RBS is turning its back on communities throughout the United Kingdom, and it will find that those communities call on it to think again.

RBS is a bank that we all have a stake in. We collectively own just short of 73% of the company. We rightly bailed the bank out in 2008, at a cost of £45 billion. We own RBS. We saved RBS in order that it could continue to offer banking services to our communities, to individuals and to businesses.

Stephen Gethins Portrait Stephen Gethins (North East Fife) (SNP)
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I thank my right hon. Friend for the powerful case that he is making. Is he aware that the closures that were recently announced are not the only ones? Some months ago, many of us campaigned against closures in Cupar, Leven and Anstruther, which have also been left without RBS branches.