New Figures Show Scale of Bank Closures in the North East

That the Parliament notes with concern research carried out by the consumer group, Which?, which identified more than 50 bank branch closures across the north east in the last eight years; considers that ongoing closures could have a huge impact on communities across Scotland; understands that cash payments remain an essential part of day-to-day life for many, particularly for vulnerable consumers and those in rural communities; considers that the recent loss of free-to-use ATMs, in addition to the wave of bank branch closures across the UK, has hit Scotland’s communities and businesses disproportionately hard, and fully supports the campaign by Which calling for a single regulator to ensure that cash remains accessible to all.