I am disappointed and saddened to hear that the Bank of Scotland branch in Burnside is set to close in February next year. When I met with Bank of Scotland recently they said that they were committed to the bank branch model.

However, after this closure, the only banks left in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency will be in Rutherglen and Hamilton, with Cambuslang, Blantyre and Burnside no longer having any branches.

I think this closure is unacceptable and I will be seeking a meeting with Bank of Scotland to find out what has changed in their commitment to the bank branch model and doing all that I can to support staff and the local community.