Kenneth Stevenson

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) for bringing this important matter to the attention of the House. In my constituency we are lucky to be served by organisations such as the North Coatbridge credit union and the Newmains credit union. These are not distant financial giants; they are member-owned, community-run mutuals that put people before profit. For decades, they have quietly gone about their work, offering people a safe place to save, fair and affordable loans, and practical help with budgeting. They make a world of difference to someone who might otherwise be driven into the arms of high-cost lenders or high-cost credit cards. Credit unions are run by people who know your name, who listen, and who guide you through difficult times, whether by helping with a loan for urgent car repairs or assisting a family with a funeral grant in their time of grief. More widely, credit unions circulate money locally. It is not siphoned off to faraway shareholders; it stays in the community, helping neighbours and strengthening the local economy. Credit unions are democratically run on a one member, one vote basis, so every decision is about what is best for the community, not what is best for a balance sheet. At a time when many face barriers to accessing mainstream banks, credit unions are a lifeline. They offer financial inclusion, ethical lending and real human support. We must not take credit unions for granted. They need our support. They need us to raise awareness of them so more people know they exist. They need partnerships with local employers to set up payroll deduction schemes, helping workers save effortlessly each month. And they need help modernising their digital services, because in this day and age we should be able to access these great community services from our phones as easily as we can from a high street bank. When credit unions succeed, they are not just about finances; they provide dignity, security and opportunity to people in Airdrie and Shotts and across North Lanarkshire. Let us celebrate them, talk about them and, most importantly, use them. Together, we will build a stronger, fairer community for all.