§ 29. Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Bank of England will extend banking facilities to companies and organisations other than Huntingdon Life Sciences in circumstances where facilities from commercial banks are not forthcoming. [3352]
§ Ruth KellyThe Bank of England offers banking facilities to the Government and the financial sector. It does not offer facilities to private sector customers outside the financial sector. Given the exceptional circumstances surrounding Huntingdon Life Sciences, it was decided that the Department of Trade and Industry would provide banking facilities to HLS through DTI accounts held at the bank. HLS is not a customer of the bank.