My honourable friend the Exchequer Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Government have published a discussion paper on building society capital and related issues as announced in Budget 2010. It will be available from the House Libraries and is on the Treasury website.

The discussion paper seeks views on the issues raised by the building societies experts’ group convened by the Government in 2009, including future options for capital raising by building societies in the light of ongoing regulatory reform.