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<p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains important
to the day-to-day lives of many people and small businesses in Scotland and across
the UK.</p><p>The UK has one of the most extensive free-to-use ATM networks in the
world; around 80% of the ATM network in Scotland is free and there are now around
700 more free ATMs in Scotland compared to 2015. From January 2018 to March 2019,
there were no publicly accessible Protected ATMs in Scotland that closed which did
not have alternative free access to cash via another source, such as a Post Office.</p><p>
</p><p>In addition, the Government is engaging, and will continue to engage, with
the regulators and industry on this important topic. In 2015, the Government established
the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), with a statutory objective to ensure that the
UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users. As a result, the PSR is
closely monitoring developments within ATM provision, and has used its powers to ensure
LINK meets its commitment on maintaining the broad geographical spread of free-to-use
ATMs.</p><p> </p><p>To support this, LINK has introduced premiums through its Financial
Inclusion programme to boost interchange fees, helping protect ATMs in remote, rural
and deprived locations.</p>
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