Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure the continued provision of free cash withdrawals at ATMs.

The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is closely monitoring developments in ATM provision. The PSR regulates LINK, the scheme which runs the UK’s ATM network, and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over LINK’s commitments to preserve the broad geographic spread of the ATM network.

The PSR has set out requirements of LINK, including that any cuts to interchange fees (the fees which fund free-to-use ATMs) must be incremental, with action taken by LINK where the impact is not as expected. Having implemented two of the four planned incremental reductions to the interchange fee, LINK has cancelled the third reduction and put on hold the fourth. The PSR welcomed these adjustments, having stated that LINK must carefully review its decisions on interchange fees to reflect changing market conditions. These adjustments gave the PSR further assurances that LINK is committed to making sure communities do not lose their free-to-use ATMs.

LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. LINK has also enhanced its Financial Inclusion Programme by tripling the funding available to ATMs in the most deprived areas of the UK and undertaken new financial support for ATMs in remote and deprived areas.