Part of 2. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:24 pm on 4 April 2017.
A statement by Lloyd’s Bank this week that they intend to shrink a number of bank branches is concerning in a number of ways, particularly in terms of the job cuts that that is bound to lead to, and the erosion in the face-to-face counter service available, but we could also take a positive view of the announcement in part, because what we seem to be seeing is the bank adapting in response to changes in customer habits, rather than taking the step, which has appeared far too easy for them in the past, to close branches. Does the First Minister agree with me that we should urge the banks to adapt rather than close, and that’s best for our high streets in Wales, and that we should seek to use all legislative and regulatory tools possible in order to urge them to do that?