Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 3:13 pm on 25 October 2007.
My Lords, is the Minister aware that 80 per cent of the debt in the UK is in the form of a mortgage, which is asset-backed, and that we have one of the most efficient financial services industries in the world? I declare an interest as a senior adviser to the Royal Bank of Scotland. Is he also aware that it is not in the interests of any financial institution to lend money to those who are unable to repay?