Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 10 December 2025.
Richard Leonard
Labour
To ask the Scottish Government what communication the finance secretary has had with the United Kingdom Government and the Financial Conduct Authority regarding what support is available for policyholders impacted by the withdrawal of the family protection plan by CMutual and Maiden Life Försäkrings. (S6O-05272)
Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party
On 21 November, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to Lucy Rigby, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, to highlight the concerns of Scottish credit unions and their members. The chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority received a copy of that letter. I subsequently met representatives of the FCA on 3 December to discuss the matter. Although the regulation of financial services is a matter reserved to the UK Government, we will continue to engage with all parties to help to secure the best outcome for those affected.
Richard Leonard
Labour
Ten days ago, thousands of elderly people, many in our most deprived communities, had their family protection plan unilaterally cancelled by CMutual. I understand that, since then, at least seven people in Scotland, who had paid in good faith for that plan, have died without cover, so I thank the Minister for Business and Employment for meeting some of those affected when they visited the Parliament two weeks ago. I also want to recognise that the UK Government has offered to bring stakeholders together. Will the Scottish Government urgently convene a rapid response group, involving the coalition of independent credit unions, to find a solution, at this very distressing time, and so stand with and stand up for the victims of this national scandal?
Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government will continue to engage with those affected. As the member knows well, we very much share his concerns and the concerns that have been expressed by MSPs from across the parties on the issue.
A few days ago, I had a further meeting with Elaine Rae, who represents the Scottish League of Credit Unions. As I mentioned, I also met representatives of the FCA. We will continue that engagement. During our meeting, as well as addressing general issues on which it could not go into detail—for legal reasons, as it has not yet reached conclusions on what it is looking at—the FCA said that perhaps 5,000 people across the UK are affected, 1,000 of whom are aged 80 or over and so might not be eligible for an alternative product. A number of those 1,000 people will reside in Scotland, so we should be concerned about them, particularly given the time of year and the anxiety that the issue is causing.
I assure the member that we continue to engage with the credit unions at the UK level—but particularly at the Scottish level and with the Scottish League of Credit Unions—as well as with the FCA. As I indicated, we have also made representations to the UK Government.
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