How will the Government respond to financial exclusion? Lords to ask ministers
The House of Lords Committee on Financial Exclusion will next week take evidence from Ministers from the Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education in the final session of their inquiry.
The evidence session will start at 10:45am on Tuesday 13 December in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords. Giving evidence to the Committee will be:
- Lord Freud, Minister of State for Welfare Reform, Department for Work and Pensions
- Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards, Department for Education
- Simon Kirby MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, HM Treasury
The session will deal with issues such as:
- How the Government can strengthen its leadership in tackling financial exclusion, and how coordination across Government departments might be improved.
- The potential effects of Universal Credit and the social security system on financial inclusion for claimants and their families.
- Providing greater protection for customers in the high-cost short-term loan sector.
- The role that can be played by Credit Unions.
- How the Government can protect bank customers from the increasing trend for bank closures.
- How the Government can ensure financial literacy is appropriately prioritised in schools.
- Whether the Government's commitment to Digital First in providing services, including benefit services, risks excluding people who lack digital skills.
