Speeches by McDonagh.

“The decline in the number of bank branches accelerates that. The banks in Mitcham town centre were forever chatting to customers who they knew to say, “Please do not send this money. They are ripping you off,” but very vulnerable people do not have that same access now. Let us be absolutely clear: we assume that it is …”

“So you would not split hairs on that particular one.”

“You said our inquiry today is into the work of the Financial Ombudsman Service. We get from what you have told us so far about your chief executive leaving that it was not a question of personal competence or anything. I understand how it is hard to talk about somebody else, given that reputation is all. Given the prob…”

“Sorry to interrupt, but that is a fundamental change and a very big decision to make, because of the impact it will have on people who wish to make claims and often are not very able to do it, so they use a claim management organisation. It is very fundamental. Was that the source of difference between you, the board a…”

“Does Bob still work for you?”

“I have been contacted on behalf of Paul Carlier, who is a whistleblower, and he says that in 2016 he submitted a claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service, in which he provided evidence proving the unlawful and widespread use of the incentivised commission arrangements that are at the heart of what is now the car financ…”

“It is a general point that a long time before 2024 and 2025 there were people saying, “Hang on a minute. This is a problem.” You have made a lot about the fact you are undertaking inquiries into individual complaints, but if you see something that you know might come down the track and cost billions of pounds to compen…”

“Lastly, did the FCA at any time since 2016 put pressure on your service, or indicate or direct you as to how it wanted you to deal with unlawful incentivised commission arrangements?”

“That is pretty brutal.”

“I am delighted to announce to the House that we will be opening a drug trial for glioblastoma brain tumours in May, in memory of my late sister, Margaret. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”] But for how long will progress on this depend on people baking cakes, running marathons and organising dinners? When will the NHS and t…”

“Experience suggests that that is not the case because we have a whole section or stream of businesses that provide services to people who are poor. They are not mainstream businesses. This is not for you to answer but is a rhetorical question: why do lots of mainstream supermarkets, such as Morrisons in Mitcham, close …”

“On a panel we had last week, we met a very nice young man with learning difficulties. He wants to be part of mainstream society, as we all do. He wanted to go to Starbucks but he does not have a debit card or may not be able to use a debit card to manage his money. He wants to go to Starbucks on a Saturday afternoon.”

“That will exclude certain marginalised people in our society, as large businesses move away from accepting cash.”

“Welcome, and congratulations on your appointment. I understand your point about small businesses, but what about big businesses? Should Starbucks accept cash?”

“What comes up time and time again, in all financial services in this Committee, is the poverty premium. If you are poorer and you live in a poor neighbourhood, it is hard to get car insurance; it is more expensive; it is harder to insure your house. It is harder to access what all the rest of us take for granted and do…”

“Order. I will now put—[Interruption.]”

“The hon. Gentleman can go on for as long as he likes.”

“I apologise again to the hon. Member for Strangford. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered innovation in the field of rare retinal disease.”

“Oh, I am sorry; I nearly denied the hon. Member for Strangford his right to sum up. I apologise. I would never wish to silence him.”

“I think my point will be unlike that of any other Member in the House. The specialist emergency care hospital in Sutton is in tier 2 of these schemes. Can I say to the Secretary of State, as I have said to every Health Secretary over the past 25 years, that no one wants this? We want the services at St Helier hospital …”