Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

I am slightly disappointed by the Minister’s response. He outlined the work that is already going on. The Thoresen review is worthy, but it will take a long time. It is only in the large-scale pilot, and we do not know when that will happen. We do not know whether there will ever be a roll-out. On HMRC sending information to account holders, I do not think that you would look to HMRC to be a provider of financial education or to be within the financial inclusion envelope. Perhaps other mechanisms need to be found: I am sure that the DWP would be more likely to handle this better. The Government are missing a trick. My amendment simply said that, in selecting account providers, HMRC should bear that in mind. The Minister did not even tell me that it would. Not only does HMRC not need it in statute, it is not even described as a feature of what HMRC would look for in account providers. This does not just have "government programmes" written all over it. If delivery of information about savings and personal financial management through financial service providers can be extended more widely, that is better than relying on government schemes and bodies such as the CAB, valuable though they are. That is why I am disappointed that the Government are going to miss a trick. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 20 withdrawn.