To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from which budgets capital was made available to (a) support and (b) invest in banks; what considerations were given to presenting a Bill to put the provision of money to banks on a specific legislative footing; and if he will publish on his Departmental website the minutes of meetings held with chief executives and other senior executives from banks and Treasury Ministers, officials and Financial Services Authority officials since 1 September 2008. (227919)

This package of measures to support and invest in banks announced on 8 October will be funded through the Government’s ordinary borrowing mechanisms, via the central Government debt and cash management operations. We are investing in the banks themselves on commercial terms.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, other Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the banking industry. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely extent of nationalisation of the British banking system which will be necessary. (227994)

Both the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made it clear that the Government will do whatever is necessary, whatever is right, to ensure the stability of the financial system. The Chancellor in his statements of 8 October and 13 October detailed the steps taken to ensure financial stability. This package of measures has subsequently been replicated throughout the world.