Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further steps he plans to take to encourage banks to lend money to small and medium-sized businesses.

The Government has taken significant action to increase bank lending to smaller businesses, such as through the Funding for Lending Scheme, and through supporting non-bank lending channels via the British Business Bank.

In Autumn 2013 a joint United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Ministerial Task Force was set up to look at ways to promote lending and increase support for businesses in Northern Ireland.

The Government is also implementing further major reforms to boost competition in the provision of smaller business finance through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill; these measures intend to improve access to SME Credit Information and to match SMEs rejected for SME finance with challenger banks and alternative finance providers that are looking to offer finance.