§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has met representatives of the banks and financial institutions to discuss failures of automated teller machines; if he has any plans to shift the burden of proof from consumers towards the bank or building society concerned; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthNo. Questions of liability for the failure of automated teller machines and for the misuse of ATM cards are matters for the agreements under which consumers have access to those facilities. The European Commission is shortly to publish a recommendation on these matters and I shall be consulting the banks and building societies in due course. The review committee on banking services law may also address these questions, and it would be premature for me to comment until the Government have seen the committee's report, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.