Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Gwynne Excerpts
Thursday 14th October 2010

(14 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mark Prisk Portrait Mr Prisk
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We met the banks yesterday and are perfectly willing to engage with them on how that could happen. We may well wish to ensure that the Government have a stake in that role, but as we received the recommendations just yesterday, I am sure the hon. Gentleman and the Committee that he chairs will understand that we want to examine them more closely. The new growth fund is a positive step which will deal with the gap that Rowlands identified in the case of mid-cap businesses. It is a welcome step, and the Government want to work with the banks to make it work effectively.

Andrew Gwynne Portrait Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)
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But does the Minister agree with the Deputy Prime Minister, who said on 27 April on Radio 5 Live about state-owned banks not lending enough to small businesses:

“What we’re saying is that the directors of those banks should be held responsible and if they fail to honour those lending targets they should be sacked”?

Mark Prisk Portrait Mr Prisk
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I have learned to make a habit of always agreeing with the Deputy Prime Minister.