Ulster Bank Customers 'Put To Back Of RBS Queue'

RBS Group has been accused of putting Northern Ireland customers "to the back of the queue" as they face entering a third week of account problems at Ulster Bank.

NI Shadow Secretary of State Vernon Coaker said the banking group, which owns Ulster Bank, had "serious questions" to answer for the way customers here have been treated.

Following the news that problems with account access, which started two Tuesdays ago, would not be solved by today as promised, Mr Coaker lashed out at the bank.

He said: "How can it be that Ulster Bank is so far behind the RBS and Natwest in resolving issues for customers, if they all shared the same system which caused the problem? Why have people in the rest of the UK have been prioritised at the expense of those in Northern Ireland, who will continue to be without access to their money well in to the week?"

Ulster Bank has extended opening hours at some branches and said it will suspended charges and interest if people miss loan payments or go overdrawn.

But many people who got paid last Friday are facing problems with third-party loans and landlords, as account balances are still not updated.

Mr Coaker said he would raise the matter in the House of Commons as well as grilling senior management at the bank.

Meanwhile, SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to end the "fiasco", as RBS is 82% state-owned.

She said she had also written to George Osborne asking him to clarify compensation arrangements for those affected.

(NE/GK)