Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

Clause 9 already provides a power enabling regulations to specify the form and content of a statement. This would allow regulations to specify that providers should supply statements on paper unless an account holder requests otherwise, should we wish to go down that route, so the amendment would not add anything to the Bill. However, this is an area where we think it sensible to be permissive rather than prescriptive. We expect that providers will supply statements in paper form as a default, but we do not see that it is necessary to impose a requirement to this effect in the regulations. For a provider to supply statements electronically, it is likely, as noble Lords will appreciate, that the account holder will be required to set themselves up with an internet banking service and at least to supply an e-mail address. It is hard to see how this could be done without the consent of the account holder. I hope, therefore, that the noble Baroness will seek leave to withdraw the amendment.