An Oxford Mail investigation into fee-charging cash machines in low income areas has been praised by local MP Andrew Smith in the House of Commons.

The Labour MP for Oxford East urged the Government to protect poor families from the "injustice" of ATM charges, praising a Mail article which highlighted a shortage of free cashpoints on the city's poorer estates.

He asked the Government to take action to ensure people were not forced to use machines which charge up to £1.85 per withdrawal.

He said: "The Oxford Mail has taken a lead on exposing the unfairness of the local pattern of which cash machines charge and which do not.

"The evidence shows there is a clear pattern in Oxford of those communities which have more people on low incomes being much further from free cash machines than those with more people on higher incomes.

"It is totally unfair that people on lower incomes, and those who are less mobile, are being charged more for taking out their own money.

"I am calling on the Government, the banks, post offices and local public bodies to take action to ensure that free machines are more widely available, especially in the poorer areas."