ALLIANCE AND LEICESTER AND SANTANDER

That this House has serious concerns that Alliance and Leicester, Abbey and Bradford and Bingley Savings will all be brought together under the Santander name by the end of 2010; welcomes the important role that local banks have on British high streets and believes that any name changes will prove a real loss for the identity of the businesses in the local communities concerned; notes that Alliance and Leicester has a long history in Leicester and is part of the commercial fabric of the city with one third of all branches remaining in the Leicestershire area; fears that any restructuring of the bank will result in a significant number of job losses; and calls on Santander to ensure that Alliance and Leicester retains some of its local identity and that bank employees and the local community are not negatively affected by any change in name.