Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to bring forward proposals for the mandatory provision of basic bank accounts for all individuals; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK must offer a basic bank account to customers who are either unbanked in the UK or who are not eligible for any other current account the bank offers.
The nine designated institutions are: Barclays, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, Co-operative Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group (including Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands), Nationwide, Royal Bank of Scotland (including NatWest and Ulster Bank brands), Santander, TSB.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of restricting the gift aid small donations scheme (GASDS) on church donations made overseas by British visitors on UK registered church charities, such as St Andrews Church Kyrenia, and if he will take steps to review his Department's policy on GASDS church donations.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme allows charities to claim a Gift Aid-style top up payment in circumstances where it is not practical, or feasible to collect a Gift Aid declaration. To be eligible, donations made under the scheme must be made and banked in the United Kingdom. Requiring donations to be collected and banked in the UK helps to guard against fraud, as well as ensuring that most donations are made by UK taxpayers.