Barclays slams small business lending targets
Monday, August 16, 2010
The government is exploring the option of extending targets to all banks, not just ones in which it owns a stake. There are fears that insufficient bank lending is holding back recovery.
The governor of the Bank of England this week described constrained lending as a "headwind" facing the UK economy.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...