Budget Allocations to the Housing and Local Government Portfolio

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:55 pm on 30 January 2019.

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Photo of Suzy Davies Suzy Davies Conservative 1:55, 30 January 2019

I was disappointed with the beginning of that answer, I have to say, Trefnydd. With so many bank closures, we are relying on post offices for access to cash now. Can you clarify whether the post office charges banks for the service that people can use there, or, possibly, is the charge the other way round? Does the post office charge the bank or does the bank charge the post office? And is there any difference in those charges depending on where those post offices are located? As we've heard recently, a differential is now being considered for the Link ATM network with more deprived and rural areas incurring smaller charges between the two organisations than, perhaps, city centres. But that could be a disincentive or an incentive for post offices, depending where they are. Obviously, I accept that Welsh Government has limited powers in this field, but in deciding which post offices you could support through your financial inclusion policies, how do you horizon scan for new threats to access to cash in deciding which post offices you could support?