News from Labour Matters

The Treasury announces free money for 600 poor areas (sort of)

News from the Treasury:

“Around 1.5 million people will benefit from the placement of over 600 non-charging cash machines in low income areas, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ian Pearson MP, and Treasury Select Committee Chairman, John McFall MP announced today.

Reporting on substantial progress made by the ATM Working Group , they confirmed that:

* 527 new free access cash machines are now operating in low income areas across the country;
* a further 136 locations for free access cash machines have now been identified and it is planned that these ATMS will be in place in the next 6 months; and
* work will continue to ensure that a free-to-use ATM will be introduced in every possible target area.

Ian Pearson said:

“I’m delighted at the progress we have made on this initiative, which means over one million people in low income areas are not being charged to withdraw their own money from a cash machine. It is a real step forward in our campaign for free access to cash for people up and down the country…”

(h/t The Guardian, typo corrected by Labour Matters!) Read the full article.