House of Commons – Dec. 7, 2022 – 117

New Clause 2 - Local community access to essential in-person banking services ‘(1) The Treasury and the FCA must jointly undertake a review of the state of access to essential in-person banking services for local communities in the United Kingdom, and jointly prepare a report on the outcome of the review. (2) “Essential in-person banking services” include services which are delivered face-to-face and which local communities require regular access to. These may include services provided in banks, banking hubs, or other service models. (3) The report mentioned in subsection (1) must be laid before the House of Commons as soon as practicable after the review has been undertaken. (4) The report mentioned in subsection (1) must propose a minimum level of access to essential in-person banking services which must be provided by banks and building societies in applicable local authority areas in the United Kingdom, for the purpose of ensuring local communities have adequate access to essential in-person banking services. (5) The applicable local authority areas mentioned in subsection (4) are local authority areas in which, in the opinion of the FCA, local communities have a particular need for the provision of essential in-person banking services. (6) In any applicable local authority area which, according to the results of the review undertaken under subsection (1) falls below the minimum level of access mentioned in subsection (4), the FCA may give directions for the purpose of ensuring essential in-person banking services meet the minimum level of access required by subsection (4). (7) A direction under subsection (6) may require a minimum level of provision of essential in-person banking services through mandating, for example— (a) a specified number of essential in-person banking services within a geographical area, or (b) essential in-person banking services to operate specific opening hours.’—(Tulip Siddiq.)