§ Mr. Cohenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he (a) makes statements in the House and (b) answers parliamentary questions on activities of the Bank of England in giving guarantees and making loans from funds other than those provided by Parliament; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe Bank of England gives guarantees and makes loans in the day to day course of its ordinary banking business, relying on its own resources. Any questions are a matter for the Bank of England, not my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. As I indicated to the hon. Member on 25 November 1985 at columns466–7, it is for the Bank of England to determine its policy on answering such questions, constrained among other things by customer confidentiality.