Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, said:
“The Business Secretary today made it clear to the Banking sector that they have a duty and a responsibility to the businesses, large and small, across our nation. Many MLAs have been contacted by small firms making their concerns clear about the approach that some of our Banks have been taking, especially in the teeth of this crisis that is bringing some of our firms very existence into question.
“Any banks, especially those that have been bailed out by we, the taxpayers, over their own greed and malfeasance in the 2008 Banking Crisis, who are now hiding behind procedure and bureaucracy, rather than making the necessary loans which are underpinned by the government anyhow, will be rightly held to censure after this crisis is over.
“The Finance and Economy Committees of the Assembly should have a role to play in monitoring and scrutinising what our Banking sector is doing. As Chair of the Finance Committee I will be writing to my fellow members, and also to the Economy Committee, to consider setting up oversight of our Banking sector to ensure that the Banks now do their bit, and act with due responsibility.”