Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2001,Official Report, column 204W, on bank disclosures, what information he has received on the lending patterns in under-invested communities of (a) Lloyds TSB, (b) HSBC, (c) Nat West and (d) Barclays. [12447]
§ Ruth KellyInformation on the lending patterns of banks to under-invested communities is available in the Bank of England's report "Finance for Small Businesses in Deprived Communities" (November 2000). It is a matter for individual banks to decide whether to disclose further information. I am aware that, of the banks mentioned in my hon. Friend's question, Barclays published some data in their "Social and Environmental Report 2000".