Ms Jane Howard:

More than 6,000 customers have a personal overdraft, but 6,000 are micro-SME customers. We decided, early on, to look at which of those customers might have a challenge in getting an overdraft facility with another organisation. It is important we put on the record that we are selling our loan book for our micro or small businesses to Permanent TSB. It has put in place an easier process for any of these customers who may want an overdraft. Permanent TSB has gone to great lengths to make sure it is as easy as possible for these customers.

When we looked at those 1,075 customers, we were concerned they might have some challenge in getting an overdraft with any financial provider. We did an immediate outreach to them to understand whether our perspective was right and to see how we could help. Some 295 customers have repaid and closed. I do not know if they have got a facility with another bank, but I assume they have. Some 650 customers said they expect to repay their overdraft and do not see a problem with it, but that left us with a small cohort of approximately 100. Some have engaged with us and others have not. We are actively helping the customers who have engaged. We will ultimately freeze the accounts of the ones who have not engaged. They will engage with us at that point, the final opportunity to engage, and we will see what we need to do to help them.