HSBC say scrapping its Welsh phone line improves service

HSBC says it remains "fully committed to serving our customers in all parts of the UK"

A HSBC boss has said the decision to scrap the bank's Welsh language phone line will lead to an improved service for Welsh-speaking customers.

Jose Carvalho said the bank's replacement call-back service will lead to more calls in Welsh.

The bank announced earlier this month that it would end its Welsh language phone line in the new year.

Its managing director wrote to Senedd members apologising for the "disappointing news".

Oliemata O'Donoghue wrote to Senedd members at the time saying the decision was not "taken lightly".

The move was strongly criticised by politicians from all parties and Welsh language minister Jeremy Miles said he would raise the matter with the Welsh language commissioner.

Giving evidence to the Senedd's Culture Committee on Wednesday, the bank's head of wealth and personal banking Jose Carvalho acknowledged the decision to scrap the Welsh language phone line had "created unrest".

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However, he said that only 22 calls a day are currently made to the Welsh language phone line, which is staffed by three people.

Mr Carvalho said it was a "real challenge for us to sustain a service with that level of demand".

The bank has said it will offer a call-back service "within three working days" for customers wanting a Welsh language service.

Mr Carvalho said that with this new option in place, "there will be more calls being answered in the Welsh language…than today".

He also said the number of call handlers able to use Welsh over the phone would be increased from three to 48.

'Not how we live our lives'

The chair of the committee, Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell, told Mr Carvalho that "people who live their lives through the medium of Welsh cannot be expected to wait for three days in order to continue with their lives".

"I implore the bank to reverse the decision," she added.

Labour committee member Alun Davies said the bank was failing to live up to its claim to be "the world's local bank".

He added: "Telling us we can have a call-back in three days is inadequate - that's not how we live our lives."

Mr Carvalho said the bank would review the situation in the second quarter of 2024.

After the committee session, Plaid Cymru culture and Welsh language spokesperson Heledd Fychan said: "If a Welsh language customer needs to contact HSBC with an urgent financial need, they will be made to wait up to 48 hours for a call back."

"This is not acceptable, and does not reflect the urgency with which financial pressures effect people's lives."