Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Greg Mulholland Excerpts
Thursday 20th November 2014

(10 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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We warmly welcome challenger banks offering a service to small business. If they can be organised on a local and regional basis, so much the better. There is an organisation called Cambridge and Counties, which is performing this role in the east of England, and I know that Airdrie bank does so in Scotland. We would like to see many more. The liberalised process of licensing means that these things can come on stream rapidly when they are put forward.

Greg Mulholland Portrait Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)
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Regrettably but inevitably, the pubcos trade association, the British Beer and Pub Association, is providing misleading information to the media and MPs about the London Economics report commissioned by BIS, including presenting figures for an immediate free-of-tie option for all tenants, which clause 2 is clearly not; it is gradual. The association’s presentation is therefore false. What assurances can I get from Ministers that they are aware of this, will scrutinise it and will ensure that civil servants also know that these misleading claims are just that?

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on the long and successful campaign that he has fought on this subject. I am inclined to let the matter rest, rather than continue a debate that he has won.