Swinney seeks selloff pledge
Finance secretary’s fears over impact on Scotland
Published:
THE Scottish Government warned last night of its “concerns” at some of the implications of the major shake-up planned for two major banking groups.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said he was seeking assurances from Chancellor Alistair Darling that the Scottish economy would not be damaged by the selloff proposed for large parts of the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.
In a letter to the chancellor – and a similar letter to European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes – Mr Swinney said that while the Scottish Government welcomed moves to increase banking competition, it was “vital” to maximise jobs and HQ functions.
He said yesterday’s UK Government announcement on the shake-up confirmed existing commitments on increased lending to businesses and homeowners as well as other agreements on areas like bonuses. But he added: “While I welcome this statement, I continue to have concerns about how such commitments – particularly in relation to small businesses - are being met in practice.”
He asked for more information on how the banking selloff would be taken forward.
Meanwhile Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said he wanted to meet “serious” investors considering buying the Lloyds and RBS assets.
“I want to see as many banking jobs and HQ facilities as possible in Scotland,” he said. “I will meet with serious potential investors considering buying the retail banking assets that Lloyds and RBS are selling.”
Lloyds said it would be Scotland’s biggest financial sector employer under the break-up plans.
It would employ more than 20.000, and its registered office would remain at The Mound in Edinburgh. The banking side of the slimmed-down Lloyds operation would be known as Bank of Scotland in Scotland, and Lloyds in England and Wales.
The TSB brand, and the 185 Lloyds TSB branches in Scotland – all but three of which were originally TSB Scotland branches – would be sold off, along with some Lloyds TSB branches in England.
Also sold off would be the four Scottish branches of Cheltenham & Gloucester, and the Intelligence Finance internet operation, based at Livingston and Rosyth.
But the Bank of Scotland, which has more than 300 branches, would remain part of the group.
Life and pension brand Scottish Widows would also remain part of the group, as would Scottish Widows Investment Partnership and some specialist commercial financing operations.
Meanwhile the Royal Bank of Scotland, which employs about 16,000 people in Scotland, would sell off its branch network in England and Wales, and NatWest branches in Scotland. Also to be sold off are RBS Insurance, which operates UK-wide, and Global Merchant Services, the fourth-biggest global card payment service.
