Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences for depositor protection and financial stability from the number of lenders offering residential property mortgage loans at 95 per cent of value or higher; and what options are open to (1) them, (2) the Bank of England, and (3) the Prudential Regulation Authority, to protect depositors and ensure financial stability.

The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) of the Bank of England was set up to identify, monitor and take action to remove or reduce systemic risks with a view to protecting and enhancing the resilience of the UK financial system as part of the new financial regulatory framework legislated for under The Financial Services Act 2012. The FPC noted in their November 2018 Financial Stability Report that the share of households with high mortgage debt-servicing ratios (DSRs) is close to historical lows. The FPC has powers of direction to place limits on the proportion of new mortgages that a bank can extend at high LTV ratios, if it judges that this is required to mitigate financial stability risks.

While the Bank therefore has powers to tackle these risks, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), set up by the Government in 2001, also provides a key role in ensuring financial stability and protecting depositors. The FSCS provides deposit protection of up to £85,000 per person, per authorised firm. The Financial Services Markets Act 2000 gives powers to the regulators, including the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to make the rules in which FSCS carries out its compensation function.