§ 20. Mr. Barnettasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of bank lending.
§ The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Diamond)Yes, Sir. There was a further fall, after seasonal adjustment, in lending by the main groups of banks, during the latest month for which information is available.
§ Mr. BarnettWill my right hon. Friend assure the House that in the letter of intent to the I.M.F., which is at present apparently being composed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer will not agree to any greater squeeze than he planned in his Budget strategy on the banks, on money supply or on anything else?
§ Mr. DiamondThat supplementary question goes a long way from the original Question, which was about bank lending.