Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the final report of the Access to cash review published on 6 March 2019; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with the regulators and industry on this topic.

The Treasury initiated a discussion on payment methods at Spring Statement 2018 through a Call for Evidence on Cash & Digital Payments in the New Economy. This sought to gather evidence on how changing preferences for cash and digital payments impact on different sectors, regions and demographics.

The Government welcomes the recent Access to Cash Review, which is an important contribution to the debate on cash and which will help inform our future policy development.

The Government will formally respond to the Call for Evidence in due course.