Chris Huhne

EASTLEIGH MP SAYS ‘SAVE THE CHEQUE’ AS BANKS CIRCLE

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne is backing a Commons motion to save the cheque, under threat from banks wanting to move people solely to electronic means of payment.

Mr Huhne said that abolishing the cheque would be particularly difficult for many older people, with nearly 4 million cheques still written every day across the country.

“This campaign is gathering force because the banks’ Payments Council wants to scrap the cheque as a method of payment. This is a real threat to many people who still use cheques as their payment method of preference” said Mr Huhne.

“Ministers need to remind the banks that they exist to serve their customers, and not the other way round. I hope that the banks will reconsider their proposals before it is too late”.

The early day motion has been signed by MPs representing all parties who are concerned by the cost-cutting plans from the high street banks.

Mr Huhne said that banks were not subject to the usual competition, because they would all decide to abandon cheques at the same time. Moreover, people were more likely to get divorced than to change their bank.

Notes to Eds

1. For details of the EDM, see:

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39801&SESSION=903