OFT to examine banks' treatment of small businesses

The Forum of Private Business, on behalf of the OFT, is trying to find out how businesses are being treated by the big lenders, amid ongoing concerns about lending. Issues addressed in the new survey include switching between banks and what financial services firms are using. Thomas Parry, research manager at the Forum, says: "Clearly, the issue of the way banks treat small firms has received an enormous amount of attention recently and sparked a lot of debate. "We hope this survey will provide the OFT with clear, empirical evidence and reinforce the valid concerns many small busin...