Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of including credit unions in the forthcoming National Financial Inclusion Strategy.

The Government recognises the importance of the credit union sector in promoting the financial inclusion, education, and resilience of communities throughout the country.

Today, I will publish the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, setting out an ambitious programme of measures to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK.

The strategy builds on the Government’s recognition of the key role credit unions play in serving underserved groups, with interventions to support the credit union sector scale and serve its members more effectively.

Action to improve financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the sector to deliver on the important interventions set out in the strategy.