Sir Mervyn has advised the banks to build up their financial buffers in an effort to withstand the threat from the eurozone crisis and said that the Bank itself was making “contingency plans” in case of a eurozone break-up. He has not revealed, however, what those contingency plans are.
Earlier this week, six central banks, including the Bank of England, took action to encourage lending between banks in order to keep the global economy moving and the President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, told the European parliament that “downside risks” to the eurozone economic outlook had increased.
Sir Mervyn also said that the UK’s banks were amongst the strongest in the world, with tier 1 capital ratios, which are an internationally respected measure of a bank’s strength, at well above 12 per cent.
Speaking of the potential break-up of the eurozone, Sir Mervyn said: "There are many ways in which the future could play out. Maybe it (the eurozone) won't break up, maybe it will continue in various forms, but maybe there will still be questions of default."
The advice given by the Bank’s Financial Policy Advisory Committee (FPC), of which Sir Mervyn is chairman, is that the banks should keep lending but should build up their financial reserves by cutting internal dividends and bonuses
According to economists, it is remarkable for a central banker to deliver such a stark warning, showing the seriousness of the situation. However, Sir Mervyn is confident that the banks can withstand the threats if they set aside more capital.
IN his statement, however, he acknowledged that the financial problems re widespread and beyond the control of any UK authority alone.
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( 3 / 128 )A group of business ‘angels’ has welcomed Chancellor George Osborne’s plan, unveiled in the Autumn Statement, to offer 50 per cent income tax relief on the first £100,000 invested in a new company.
The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), which will be launched in April 2012, is an extension of the existing Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and will apply to all investors, regardless of the rate at which they pay tax.
And apart from this, any ‘angel investors’ using the scheme will benefit from one-off capital gains tax holiday if they reinvest gains made during the 2012-13 financial year.
The group of 35 investors, all leading entrepreneurs, including such figures as Charles Dunstone, founder of Carphone Warehouse, already fund new businesses and believe that the SEIS will encourage others to invest in start-ups.
"We are some of the UK's leading angel investors and venture capitalists, having funded and nurtured thousands of British start-ups between us, creating new jobs and economic opportunities across the UK,” they said.
"At a time of global economic uncertainty, one thing is clear: it's fast growing start-ups that will deliver the lion's share of the new jobs and economic growth that the UK needs."
Mike Lynch, founder and Chief Executive of Autonomy and a member of the group added: “Very early stage investment is the riskiest of all types of funding, and this new tax incentive will encourage more investors to take the plunge and support new British companies.”
"Taken together, we believe that the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and the CGT holiday will attract new investment to British start-ups, and help the next generation of British innovations to become the next generation of great British businesses."
As well as announcing the SEIS, the Chancellor also promised to simplify and refocus the EIS and Venture Capital Trust schemes, which has been welcomed by investors.
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( 3.1 / 39 )There were several proposals in the Autumn Statement aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but there have been mixed views on how well they will work.
One of the most important was the proposed credit easing for businesses, which will mean that finance should be more freely available than it has been from the traditional sources such as banks.
However, the credit easing plan has already been attacked by Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor, who said that it was very similar to the small firms guarantee scheme, which “has been around for years.”
And Manos Schizas, senior policy advisor for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) said that the plans for credit easing “look like a cross between 2008’s failed Working Capital Guarantee and the European Investment Bank guarantees, which have experienced very low uptake in the UK...”
Other policies unveiled in the Statement include the extension of the Small business Rate Relief scheme, the income tax and capital gains relief for those investing in start-ups and the angel investment matching plans.
The small business rate relief scheme had been due to expire in October 2012 but will now run until April 2013, which could be worth over £200m to SMEs.
There was also good news for people who invest in start-up businesses, as they will now be able to gain 50 per cent income tax relief on investments of up to £200,000.
The Federation of Small Businesses welcomed both moves and said that they “will give start-ups and fledgling businesses the chance to bypass the high street banks and find alternative sources of finance.”
While Richard Anton, chairman of the British Venture Capital Association, said: "The Chancellor has today offered an invitation to invest in innovation. This is a rare case of a George coming to the assistance of dragons. Angel investors will be delighted."
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( 3 / 151 )All eyes will be on Westminster later today as Chancellor George Osborne delivers his autumn statement, which will include the Government’s plans to boost the economy as well as his response to economic forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
The statement will be delivered against a backdrop of dire warnings from all quarters that the UK is likely to slip back into recession and that the growth of the economy will be flat or weak at best.
Mr Osborne is likely to confirm that growth will be lower and borrowing much higher than planned and that the UK’s structural budget deficit will not be eliminated until much later than hoped.
Forecasts for growth have already been cut during the year and it is expected to be cut again to just 1 per cent, while borrowing is expected to more than double to over £80bn.
A number of plans have already been unveiled ahead of the statement. These include credit easing for business borrowers, an infrastructure fund, subsidised work and training placements for 18 to 24-year-olds, and 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgages for first–time buyers.
Mr Osborne is also expected to announce other schemes, such as the doubling of the number of free childcare places, in an attempt to get mothers back into work.
Other announcements may include a change to the bank levy, possibly scrapping or delaying the 3p rise in fuel duty, which was due to take effect in January, maybe scrapping stamp duty for first-time buyers and cuts in tax breaks for the very well off.
However, it is unlikely that there will be any proposals to slow down on spending cuts, as Mr Osborne has been quoted as saying that he wants the Government to “stick to the plan that will take us safely through the storm.”
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( 3 / 173 )Chancellor George Osborne will unveil plans to release up to £40bn in loans to small businesses when he delivers the Government’s autumn statement tomorrow.
Under one plan, the Government would underwrite banks’ borrowings so that they could pass on cheaper loans to companies turning over less than £50m. Loans would initially be for £20bn but this could be doubled.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show yesterday, Mr Osborne said: "The basic idea of this national loan guarantee scheme is to use the fact that the government can borrow money very cheaply to help small businesses to borrow money more cheaply than they do at the moment."
"So the government will underwrite the loans the banks make to small businesses in order to cut the interest rates small businesses have to pay. This will help them with their cash flow, to retain their workforces and expand and invest."
Under the proposals, a company taking out a £5 million loan would be able to borrow at 4 per cent rather than the typical 5 per cent, a saving of £50,000 a year.
The chancellor will also propose that the government takes a stake in an investment fund with private sector investors to provide a source of credit or loans to medium-sized companies.
A third scheme would offer an alternative to traditional bank loans by encouraging firms to sell bonds, or company IOUs, to the market.
A treasury spokesman said: "We all know that the cost of finance for smaller businesses has risen following the financial crisis. It's a problem people have been trying to solve since 2008, which is why these new schemes are much more radical than anything that has gone before.
"They should be a game changer for credit for small companies by cutting the cost of finance and over time opening up new options for how it is raised."
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