Rural Banking Provision

Part of 3. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 2:53 pm on 31 January 2023.

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Photo of Gareth Davies Gareth Davies Conservative 2:53, 31 January 2023

I appreciate your response, Minister, and the reason I’m asking this question today is for that very reason, because HSBC in Denbigh is set to close in the summer as part of 114 branch closures across the UK. But what I don’t believe is that the due diligence has been considered for people in rural areas, and in particular the people of Denbigh, where some can’t travel as far as Rhyl or Ruthin to carry out their financial affairs if they are elderly, disabled, can’t drive or don’t have access to public transport. When I asked about this in the business statement last week, the Trefnydd told me that the matter wasn’t devolved to Wales and therefore didn’t require a statement. But you yourself, Minister, in 2021 released a statement on the Welsh Government’s plan to support towns that have lost their banks. So, which is it, Minister, and what are you going to do to support people in rural Denbighshire?