Banking: Government Shares Debate

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Department: HM Treasury
Monday 13th June 2011

(12 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Peston Portrait Lord Peston
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My Lords—

Lord Newby Portrait Lord Newby
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My Lords—

None Portrait Noble Lords
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This side!

Baroness Anelay of St Johns Portrait Baroness Anelay of St Johns
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My Lords, it is a courtesy. The Question was posed from the Labour Benches. It might be helpful to hear from a different Bench, just for the moment.

Lord Newby Portrait Lord Newby
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My Lords, given that all UK citizens have, to a greater or lesser extent, had to bear some of the costs of the Government bailing out the banks, can the Minister confirm that the Treasury is giving serious consideration to the distribution of the state-owned shares in RBS and Lloyds Banking Group to the UK population as a whole?

Lord Sassoon Portrait Lord Sassoon
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My Lords, I can confirm to my noble friend that UK Financial Investments will be considering retail participation in the distribution of the shares. That does not, of course, necessarily mean quite what he said, which is some form of distribution but, yes, mass participation in some form is very much to be considered. Value for money is also one of the considerations that UKFI is required to take into account.