The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with industry, including LINK, to ensure that this access is maintained.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government has not made any formal assessment of the potential effect of LINK\u2019s proposals to change the interchange fee rate on consumers, small businesses, the North Dorset constituency or other rural communities. However, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK\u2019s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.<\/p>
<\/p>
The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.<\/p>
<\/p>
LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "123789"} , {"_value" : "123790"} , {"_value" : "123793"} , {"_value" : "123878"} , {"_value" : "123880"} , {"_value" : "123881"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-29T11:37:37.073Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of LINK\u2019s proposed reduction of the interchange fee on (a) consumers and (b) small businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4494", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Hoare"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Dorset"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Simon Hoare"} ], "uin" : "123877"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825811", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825811/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with industry, including LINK, to ensure that this access is maintained.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government has not made any formal assessment of the potential effect of LINK\u2019s proposals to change the interchange fee rate on consumers, small businesses, the North Dorset constituency or other rural communities. However, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK\u2019s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.<\/p>
<\/p>
The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.<\/p>
<\/p>
LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "123789"} , {"_value" : "123790"} , {"_value" : "123793"} , {"_value" : "123877"} , {"_value" : "123880"} , {"_value" : "123881"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-29T11:37:37.12Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the number of ATMs that will be withdrawn as a result of a 20 per cent reduction in the LINK interchange fee.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4494", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Hoare"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Dorset"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Simon Hoare"} ], "uin" : "123878"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825814", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825814/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with industry, including LINK, to ensure that this access is maintained.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government has not made any formal assessment of the potential effect of LINK\u2019s proposals to change the interchange fee rate on consumers, small businesses, the North Dorset constituency or other rural communities. However, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK\u2019s payment systems work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.<\/p>
<\/p>
The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.<\/p>
<\/p>
LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation, where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "123789"} , {"_value" : "123790"} , {"_value" : "123793"} , {"_value" : "123877"} , {"_value" : "123878"} , {"_value" : "123880"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-29T11:37:37.23Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cash Dispensing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with LINK on (a) the proposed reduction in the interchange fee and (b) the Financial Inclusion Programme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4494", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Hoare"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Dorset"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Simon Hoare"} ], "uin" : "123881"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/808785", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/808785/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:<\/p>