{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&_metadata=all&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&_page=0&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Lamont&min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-07-09&min-date=2019-05-15&max-date=2019-09-02&max-answer.dateOfAnswer=2019-09-06", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1142920", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1142920/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises that the closure of bank branches is a very important issue for many people, particularly in rural communities. However, banking service providers need to balance customer interests and other commercial factors when considering their strategies. Although the Government understands the dissatisfaction, it is right that decisions on opening and closing branches are taken by the management team of each bank on a commercial basis and the Government does not intervene in these decisions.<\/p>
<\/p>
Government cannot reverse the changes in the market and in customer behaviour; nor can it determine firms\u2019 commercial strategies in response to those changes. In 2018, two-thirds of UK adults used contactless payments, 72% used online banking and 48% used mobile banking, according to UK Finance. The Government is committed to ensuring that all areas of the UK benefit from world class digital connectivity, and we have invested heavily to meet that ambition. The £1.8bn superfast programme has ensured that 96% of the UK has access to download speeds of at least 24Mbps. For those premises that do not have access to download speeds of at least 10 Mbps, the Government have introduced the Universal Service Obligation (USO), which allows people to request a USO connection from the designated Universal Service provider, BT, from March 2020.<\/p>
<\/p>
However, the Government still firmly believes that the impact of branch closures should be understood, considered, and mitigated where possible so that all customers, wherever they live, continue to have access to over-the-counter banking services if they wish to use them. That is why the Government is in full support of the voluntary Access to Banking Standard that the major high-street banks are signed up to. This commits them to keep customers well informed about branch closures, and to set out their reasons for closures and the alternative options for continued access to services. It is also why the Government supports the Post Office Banking Framework Agreement, which enables 99% of personal customers and 95% of small business customers to carry out their everyday banking at one of the Post Office\u2019s 11,500 branches.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-05T11:50:09.47Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Banks: Closures"}
, "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 steps he will take to reduce bank closures in rural areas.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4608", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Lamont"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Lamont"}
], "uin" : "284386"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1142927", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1142927/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Successive Governments have made necessary decisions to equalise and increase the State Pension age. State Pension age reform has focused on maintaining the right balance between sustainability of State Pension, equality and fairness between generations in the face of demographic change.<\/p> <\/p> Even after equalising women\u2019s State Pension age with men\u2019s, women will spend more than 2 years longer on average in receipt of their state pension because of their longer life expectancy. If we had not equalised State Pension age, women would be expected to spend on average over 40 per cent of their adult lives in retirement.<\/p> <\/p> During the passage of the Pensions Act 2011, the Government listened to the concerns of those affected and this is why we introduced a concession worth over £1 billion in order to limit the impact on those women who would be most affected by the changes. This concession reduced the proposed increase in State Pension age for over 450,000 men and women, and means that no woman will see her pension age change by more than 18 months, relative to the 1995 Act timetable.<\/p> <\/p> For people who simply can\u2019t work, our welfare system will continue to provide a strong safety net, as it does for people of all ages now. Any women experiencing hardship, including problems such as unemployment, disability, and coping with caring responsibilities, can already claim support from the welfare system. The Government is committed to supporting the vulnerable and spends over £50 billion a year on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions. The new State Pension is more generous for many women. Over three million women stand to gain an average of £550 extra per year by 2030 as a result of recent State Pension reforms.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-06T13:22:12.17Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Retirement Pensions: Females"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has any plans to (a) change the rules on the state pension age for women and (b) compensate those affected by the change in rules.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4608", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Lamont"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Lamont"}
], "uin" : "284405"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1143010", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1143010/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is important to highlight that there are over 1.6 million people already claiming some £5.4 billion in Pension Credit but the Government wants to ensure that all<\/em> pensioners eligible can claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled. In Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk there are around 2,600 pensioners already claiming Pension Credit.<\/p> <\/p> On a national basis the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on https://gov.uk/<\/a>, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.<\/p> <\/p> Potential customers can use the Pension Credit Calculator https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator<\/a> to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling the Freephone number 0800 99 1234.<\/p> <\/p>