Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has of the potential merits of introducing a national financial inclusion strategy.

On 5 December, the Government announced its intention to publish a Financial Inclusion Strategy, developed alongside a supporting Committee. The Financial Inclusion Committee’s mission is to tackle barriers to individual and households’ ability to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services.

Through this committee, I am working with consumer groups and industry to develop, coordinate and implement interventions to support financial inclusion in the UK, ahead of the publication of a strategy later this year.