Economic Secretary to the Treasury Returns as Keynote Speaker at ABCUL Conference

Thursday 25 January 2024

For the fourth year in a row, the Association is pleased to announce that the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP, is confirmed as the keynote speaker for the conference on Tuesday 24 May.

John Glen is MP for Salisbury and Economic Secretary to the Treasury responsible for policy in relation to financial services regulation. Since taking the role in January 2018, he has taken a keen interest in issues of access and inclusion for financial services and the role of credit unions within this.

Commenting on the Minister’s attendance at next month’s event, ABCUL CEO, Robert Kelly said: “Over the last four years, John Glen has been committed to our sector and has shown a keen interest for tackling financial inclusion and growing credit unions. We look forward to hearing how Government aims to continue supporting credit union development up and down the country.”

In previous appearances at the conference, John has reiterated Government’s commitment to bring forward legislative changes to the Credit Unions Act, to allow the sector to offer a wider range of products and services. The decision was announced in the 2020 budget, but Covid-19 disruptions put back the timetable for updating the act. “John been instrumental in emphasising the importance of these policy areas within Treasury,” Robert added.

The Minister has also praised credit unions for their authenticity and strong bond to local communities. In 2020, John Glen wrote to credit unions to thank them for their hard work and vital service to communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Government has always been clear that the financial sector has a vital role to play at a time when many face financial difficulty,” says John Glen MP. “I have also been very encouraged to hear about specific examples of the support being provided by many of you to the most vulnerable customers. This includes herculean efforts to help customers who are facing acute financial difficulty, as well ensure that those that are self-isolating can access cash, complete their everyday banking online, and even access food and medication. It is these actions that will be remembered for getting the nation through this crisis. I commend you all for making a hugely valuable and critical contribution to the resilience of our nation at this most challenging time.”