[Mr Graham Brady in the Chair] — Rural Bank Closures

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 9:30 am on 21 February 2012.

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Photo of Roger Williams Roger Williams Liberal Democrat, Brecon and Radnorshire 9:30, 21 February 2012

In the long run, it is in the banks’ interest to ensure that they provide a comprehensive level of service to the communities that they wish to serve and services that are more accessible and more convenient. I think that it is probably the role of the Government to sit down with the bankers, as was suggested by Mr Thomas, and set out what should be required of banks. Not all the banks were bailed out with public money as a result of the banking collapse, but all banks have benefited from Government action—quantitative easing, for instance—and just about all banks are dependent or have depended on measures that the Government have brought forward. It is time to sit down and see what can be achieved to help these communities.