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1150755

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the regulations concerning credit unions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL229
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2019 answer text <p>In 2014, the Government undertook a call for evidence to understand the appropriate steps that could be taken to support the credit union sector. Subsequently, the maximum interest a credit union can charge on loans was raised from 2% to 3% per month, and the upper limit on the geographical common bond was raised from 2 to 3 million people.</p><p>The Government continues to be open to considering the case for further reform. ABCUL, the sector’s largest trade body, is currently carrying out a sector-wide consultation which is due to conclude later this year. HMT will consider its conclusions in the development of future credit union policy.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Budget 2018, the Government announced a package of measures to support credit unions, and other social and community lenders, including:</p><ul><li>A £2 million affordable credit challenge fund, harnessing the UK’s FinTech sector to address challenges faced by social and community lenders, including credit unions.</li><li>A change in the regulatory boundary of credit broking to make it easier for registered social landlords such as housing associations to refer their tenants to social and community lenders.</li><li>A prize-linked savings pilot scheme, to encourage the growth of the credit union sector and encourage consumers to build up their personal savings. This pilot launched on October 17<sup>th</sup>, International Credit Union Day, in 13 credit unions around the country, with 2 more credit unions due to join the pilot.</li><li>A feasibility study to design a pilot for a UK No-Interest Loans Scheme.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The PRA have also proposed a simplified, proportional capital requirement regime for credit unions in their recently published consultation.</p> answering member printed The Earl of Courtown question first answered 31/10/2019 13:42:28 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

765975

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2017
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the promotion of credit unions as an alternative to pay day lenders.
	tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
	tabling member printed	Paul Masterton
	uin	105873
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2017 answer text <p>Credit unions play a key role in offering affordable, responsible credit to underserved communities. The Government has supported the sector in the following ways:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>Announcing at Autumn Statement 2016 that a greater proportion of funds recovered from illegal money lenders will be allocated to incentivise vulnerable people to join, save and borrow with a credit union instead of turning to loan sharks;</p></li><li><p>Increasing the maximum interest rate that credit unions can charge on loans from 2% to 3%. This has helped credit unions become more stable and allowed them to offer reliable, affordable credit to consumers who may otherwise have had to resort to more expensive means;</p></li><li><p>Contributing £600,000 to an initiative developed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Young Enterprise, to start savings clubs in primary schools and educate young children in the benefits of saving, while promoting awareness of credit unions to children and their parents. Lifesavers works with local credit unions to help run savings clubs in schools; and</p></li><li><p>Initiating the Credit Union Expansion Project, a £38 million project aimed at helping the sector modernise and offer new services.</p></li></ul> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Stephen Barclay question first answered 16/10/2017 11:05:05 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4625 label Biography information for Paul Masterton

798690

	registered interest
	date	01/12/2017
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to support access to credit unions; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	117084
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2017 answer text <p>The government is committed to supporting access to credit unions, which provide vital services to financially underserved communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector. The government has done this by:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>Announcing at Autumn Budget 2017, that where a credit union’s membership conditions are based on locality, a credit union will be able to increase the number of potential members it can have from 2 to 3 million.</p></li><li><p>Contributing £600,000 to an initiative developed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Young Enterprise, to start savings clubs in primary schools and educate young children in the benefits of saving. Lifesavers works with local credit unions to help run savings clubs in schools.</p></li><li><p>Contracting the Association of British Credit Unions Limited to deliver the Credit Union Expansion Project, which aims to modernise and grow credit unions in a sustainable way, enabling them to offer additional financial services to their members.</p></li><li><p>Announcing at Autumn Statement 2016 that, from 2018, a scheme which incentivises credit union membership in communities at risk of being targeted by loan sharks, will be expanded. This uses funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act from convicted loan sharks.</p></li></ul> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Stephen Barclay question first answered 06/12/2017 17:08:21 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

647622

	registered interest
	date	29/11/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.45 of the Autumn Statement 2016, if he will publish details on the working of the expansion of the scheme to encourage credit union membership in areas at risk from loan sharks.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	55479
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2016 answer text <p>The Government is committed to facilitating sustainable financial services that give consumers greater choice in accessing credit. To help achieve this aim, the Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, transferring regulatory responsibility from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014. The FCA has transposed key elements of the OFT’s Irresponsible Lending Guidance into binding rules. The FCA makes clear that a firm should lend responsibly, and takes reasonable steps to assess the customer’s ability to meet repayments in a sustainable manner without undue difficulties, and without having to borrow further. Ultimately, money should only be lent to a consumer if they can afford to repay it.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the Government has already introduced several initiatives to support the credit union sector. These include investing £38m in the sector through the Department of Work and Pensions’ Credit Union Expansion Project, and providing £500,000 to help armed forces personnel access credit union services.</p><p> </p><p>The scheme referred to at paragraph 3.45 of the Autumn Statement 2016 is undertaken by the England Illegal Money Lending Team. The Team recovers funds from convicted loan sharks under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and currently uses this to fund community education work and a credit union incentive scheme in areas which are vulnerable to loan sharks. The scheme provides cash incentives for new credit union accounts into which consumers make regular savings.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018, governance of the Team, and control of how it uses funds recovered under POCA, will transfer to HM Treasury. In April 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority will introduce a new levy collected from consumer credit firms which will fund the Team’s enforcement and education work. This will make it possible to free-up POCA funds currently used for education about loan sharks to expand the credit union scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Brighton, Kemptown answering member printed Simon Kirby question first answered 07/12/2016 11:17:53 answering member 3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

668868

	registered interest
	date	06/01/2017
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the Government plans to improve and promote access to credit unions.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton North East
	tabling member printed	Sir David Crausby
	uin	58730
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2017 answer text <p>The Government’s manifesto commits to support the credit union movement in making financial services more accessible over the course of this Parliament. The Government has supported the sector in the following ways:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>Investing up to £38 million in an expansion project for credit unions, aimed at helping credit unions expand and grow sustainably.</p></li><li><p>The Government announced at AS16 that a greater proportion of funds recovered from illegal money lenders will be allocated to incentivise vulnerable people to join, save and borrow with a credit union instead of turning to loan sharks.</p></li><li><p>The Coalition Government also increased the maximum interest rate that credit unions can charge on loans from 2% to 3%. This has helped credit unions become more stable.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will continue to look at ways it can help support the sector.</p></li></ul> answering member constituency Brighton, Kemptown answering member printed Simon Kirby question first answered 11/01/2017 10:37:39 answering member 3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby
	tabling member	437 label Biography information for Sir David Crausby

480076

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the legislation governing credit unions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL7178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2016 answer text <p>On 31 December 2014, the government published a response to the Call for Evidence on Credit Unions.</p><p> </p><p>In this response the government committed to considering the potential changes to credit union legislation highlighted by the Call for Evidence over the course of this parliament.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Neill of Gatley question first answered 01/04/2016 12:37:33 answering member 4536 label Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

673444

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2017
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2017 to Question 58730, on credit unions, what steps he plans to take to complete the expansion project for credit unions; how the £38 million will be allocated; and over what time period that allocation will take place.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton North East
	tabling member printed	Sir David Crausby
	uin	59997
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2017 answer text <p>The Contract to deliver the Credit Union Expansion Project was scheduled to end in December 2016. The Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL) are delivering the Contract and has provided a proposal to extend the delivery timeline. To allow the proposal to be considered the Department has agreed an interim Contract extension to February 2017.</p><p> </p><p>To the end of December 2016, £30.8.m has been spent. Any remaining expenditure is subject to agreement on ABCUL’s proposal to extend the Contract and delivery of specific outcomes.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 23/01/2017 14:54:45 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	437 label Biography information for Sir David Crausby

58587

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the progress of the Credit Union Expansion Project.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL112
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The DWP Credit Union Expansion Project contract began in May 2013. Around 80 credit unions are currently participating in the project. ABCUL has started delivering the Automated Loan and decision tool to participating credit unions and feedback is that the tool is ensuring loan decisions are faster, consistent and more efficient to deliver. Procurement of an IT banking platform is also being progressed but much remains to be done particularly on achieving sufficient growth for Credit Unions, and DWP continue to support and monitor the project closely</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 10/06/2014 13:43:31 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

172711

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to changing the Common Bond of geographical credit unions from potential to actual members.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL4031
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2015 answer text <p>On 31 December 2014 the government published a response to the Call for Evidence on Credit Unions. In this response the government committed to considering potential changes to credit union legislation, including to the Common Bond, in the next parliament.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 22/01/2015 16:53:12 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1036905

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Credit Unions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support and enable the growth of credit unions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Myners
	uin	HL12547
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2019 answer text <p>The government remains committed to supporting credit unions, which provide vital services to financially under-served communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Budget 2018, the Chancellor announced a two-year pilot of a new prize-linked savings scheme offered through credit unions. This will support the credit union sector through increased membership, awareness and deposits, as well as encouraging participants to build up savings to help them cope with financial shocks.</p><p> </p><p>The Chancellor also announced a new £2 million challenge fund to promote innovative solutions from the UK’s Fintech sector to address challenges faced by social and community lenders, including credit unions. This follows the success of last year’s Rent Recognition Challenge, where UK Fintechs were invited to develop digital solutions for incorporating rental data into credit scores.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 21/01/2019 15:38:44 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners