Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with banks and independent ATM operators on steps being taken to place the LINK system on a sustainable footing.

The Government believes that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers in the UK. To this end, the Government is engaging with LINK and its members, including banks and Independent ATM Deployers, to ensure that widespread free access to cash is maintained. The Government is encouraged to hear that LINK’s members have committed to further work to find a solution to the dispute.

The Government is also working closely on the issue with the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which was established in 2015 to promote competition, innovation and the needs of end users within payment systems. The PSR is in regular contact with LINK, and is monitoring the situation closely.

The PSR has the power to act if LINK or any of its members act in a way that conflicts with any of its objectives.