Banking Hubs are a voluntary initiative provided by the financial services sector. Upon the closure of a core cash access service, such as a bank branch, or a direct request from a community, LINK assesses the community\u2019s access to cash needs. If additional cash services are needed, industry will provide a shared solution such as a Banking Hub. Hubs offer basic counter services provided by Post Office staff, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank.<\/p>
<\/p>
UK Finance have recently confirmed 225 Banking Hubs will be announced by the end of 2024, up from the 130 locations currently confirmed. Furthermore, following the Government\u2019s recent discussions with the UK high street banks, participating firms have also committed to improving Hubs by standardising the services available between firms, ensuring that customers will not require their own digital device to bank, trialling a \u2018customer liaison service\u2019 and trialling Saturday openings.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government legislated as part of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish the FCA as the lead regulator for access to cash, giving it responsibility to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. The FCA recently held a consultation on its proposed regulatory regime for access to cash, following the Government\u2019s legislation: FCA consultation on access to cash<\/a>. These proposals build on and strengthen the arrangement that has been established by the financial services sector by placing it on a regulatory footing. The FCA expects to publish its final rules by the end of the third quarter of this year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4639", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bim Afolami"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hitchin and Harpenden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Bim Afolami"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T15:50:29.69Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Banking Hubs"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to provide incentives to high street (a) banks and (b) building societies to provide bank hub services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1447", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Rosindell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Rosindell"}
], "uin" : "26855"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1700064", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1700064/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The adoption and deployment of AI is increasingly prevalent in the financial sector and has the potential to significantly improve productivity, both for individual banks and at an aggregate level. The government is committed to supporting the digital sector and has invested more than £3.5 billion in AI since 2014.<\/p> The government\u2019s response to the AI White Paper consultation sets out how we are encouraging the safe use of AI across the economy by strengthening our global AI leadership (including by hosting the world\u2019s first AI Safety Summit) and supporting the UK\u2019s regulators to deliver on our pro-innovation framework.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4639", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bim Afolami"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hitchin and Harpenden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Bim Afolami"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-22T13:13:08.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Banks: Artificial Intelligence"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on banking.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1447", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Rosindell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Rosindell"}
], "uin" : "20924"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698873", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698873/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The government published its next steps on tax-free shopping in the Spring Budget 2024 which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2024/spring-budget-2024-html.<\/p> <\/p> The OBR published a review of the original 2020 costing of the withdrawal of tax-free shopping in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 6 March, with a follow up supplementary document published on 11 March, which is available here: https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/VAT-RES-costing-review.pdf.<\/p> The government welcomes further submissions in response to the OBR\u2019s findings.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4407", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Huddleston"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Huddleston"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-17T08:53:46.823Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tourism: VAT"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of re-introducing tax-free shopping for international visitors on retail businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1447", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Rosindell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Rosindell"}
], "uin" : "20557"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698419", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698419/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) only ever considers insolvency as a last resort. Anyone who is worried about being able to pay what they owe should contact HMRC, who may be able to agree an instalment arrangement based on the individual\u2019s financial circumstances. There is no maximum length for these arrangements.<\/p> <\/p> Where people are facing insolvency, HMRC is not always the only creditor. Some individuals are declared bankrupt as a result of a non-HMRC debt and some individuals may choose to enter insolvency themselves based on their overall financial position. To date, HMRC has not initiated insolvency proceedings against any taxpayer solely for a Loan Charge debt.<\/p> <\/p> As set out in the answer to PQ 17136<\/a>, since 2022, HMRC has issued around 2,700 decisions under s.684(7A)(b) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 to disguised remuneration scheme users.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4407", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Huddleston"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Huddleston"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "20210"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-15T08:47:54.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tax Avoidance: Bankruptcy"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will become bankrupt as a result of the (a) loan charge and (b) associated activity.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1447", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Rosindell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Rosindell"}
], "uin" : "20209"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698420", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698420/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) only ever considers insolvency as a last resort. Anyone who is worried about being able to pay what they owe should contact HMRC, who may be able to agree an instalment arrangement based on the individual\u2019s financial circumstances. There is no maximum length for these arrangements.<\/p> <\/p> Where people are facing insolvency, HMRC is not always the only creditor. Some individuals are declared bankrupt as a result of a non-HMRC debt and some individuals may choose to enter insolvency themselves based on their overall financial position. To date, HMRC has not initiated insolvency proceedings against any taxpayer solely for a Loan Charge debt.<\/p> <\/p>