Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 05 March 2026 [Draft]
05 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
General Question Time
Face-to-face Banking Services
The member raises an important issue. I think that all of us who are constituency members have experienced the loss of high street bank branches and face-to-face transactions. That is a matter of concern to the Scottish Government.
The member might wish to ask LINK to carry out an assessment to ensure that there is consideration of banking hubs and access to cash points in our communities. There are approximately 27 banking hubs in Scotland, with another six in progress through LINK Scheme. We continue to make sure that LINK takes into account Scotland’s distinctive needs.
In the same item of business
1. Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP)
SNP
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the banking industry about maintaining access to face-to-face banking services on high streets...
The Minister for Business and Employment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
Regulation of financial services is reserved. However, the Scottish Government regularly engages with the sector and the regulator through ministerial engage...
Clare Haughey
SNP
Yet another bank in my Rutherglen constituency is under threat of closure. By my count, nine bank branches have closed in recent years, which has left Blanty...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The member raises an important issue. I think that all of us who are constituency members have experienced the loss of high street bank branches and face-to-...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
Last month, the Bank of Scotland announced that it would close its branch in Kelso. That is the ninth closure in the Borders since 2022.I agree with Richard ...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
Such events have taken place in the past; I have attended them and I am happy for that to continue at some point in the near future. Perhaps the new Governme...