Clause 1
Financial Mutuals Arrangements Bill
9:30 am
John Butterfill (Bournemouth West, Conservative)
Perhaps I can deal with the hon. Gentleman’s first point and the Minister can deal with the second. It is my understanding that the hon. Member for Twickenham is correct in saying that most building societies are managing adequately within the existing limits. However, there is a considerable degree of sentiment that says that that will not remain the case for much longer. This is a fast-moving area and the competition is becoming ever more threatening towards building societies, so they will need to move quite quickly. If the situation developed, building societies would look to the Government to introduce a Bill of this nature, which might take quite a long time given the heavy timetable to which the Government are always subject. This Bill gives us the opportunity to deal with the situation now, in anticipation of those needs.