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| Treasury slated over Rock lending | Treasury slated over Rock lending |
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| The Treasury has been criticised for allowing Northern Rock to lend £800m in risky mortgages for six months after it was propped up with taxpayers' cash. | The Treasury has been criticised for allowing Northern Rock to lend £800m in risky mortgages for six months after it was propped up with taxpayers' cash. |
| The National Audit Office report on the Treasury's handling of the crisis found the bank was still giving mortgages of up to 125% in early 2008. | The National Audit Office report on the Treasury's handling of the crisis found the bank was still giving mortgages of up to 125% in early 2008. |
| It said the Treasury was aware of "potential shortcomings" in how to deal with failing banks as far back as 2004. | It said the Treasury was aware of "potential shortcomings" in how to deal with failing banks as far back as 2004. |
| But it concluded nationalising the bank had protected taxpayers' interests. | But it concluded nationalising the bank had protected taxpayers' interests. |
| "The Treasury successfully met its objective to protect Northern Rock's depositors and stopped the run on the bank," said Tim Burr, head of the NAO. | "The Treasury successfully met its objective to protect Northern Rock's depositors and stopped the run on the bank," said Tim Burr, head of the NAO. |
| "The Treasury could however have conducted a more systematic assessment of the risks it was taking on and more thoroughly tested the bank's initial business plan in public ownership," he added. | "The Treasury could however have conducted a more systematic assessment of the risks it was taking on and more thoroughly tested the bank's initial business plan in public ownership," he added. |
| The report also concluded that ministers were slow to respond and were under-prepared for the crisis. | The report also concluded that ministers were slow to respond and were under-prepared for the crisis. |
| 'No alternative' | 'No alternative' |
| The Treasury said it would study the report and respond to MPs later this month. | The Treasury said it would study the report and respond to MPs later this month. |
| Why didn't the Treasury demand an immediate stop to the reckless lending that got the bank into trouble in the first place? Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the committee of public accounts Report adds to ammunition | Why didn't the Treasury demand an immediate stop to the reckless lending that got the bank into trouble in the first place? Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the committee of public accounts Report adds to ammunition |
| However, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the BBC that decisions were made to allow Northern Rock to continue operating. | However, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the BBC that decisions were made to allow Northern Rock to continue operating. |
| "The alternative was to put the entire business into receivership. You did not want to do that, you wanted to tide Northern Rock over," he said. | "The alternative was to put the entire business into receivership. You did not want to do that, you wanted to tide Northern Rock over," he said. |
| "That is why decisions were taken to maintain mortgage lending." | "That is why decisions were taken to maintain mortgage lending." |
| The NAO found Northern Rock continued to offer its Together mortgage - lending borrowers up to 125% of the value of their properties - from the time of its emergency support from the Bank of England in September 2007 until it was on the brink of public ownership in February 2008. | The NAO found Northern Rock continued to offer its Together mortgage - lending borrowers up to 125% of the value of their properties - from the time of its emergency support from the Bank of England in September 2007 until it was on the brink of public ownership in February 2008. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Edward Leigh MP, Conservative chairman of the public accounts committee, which oversees the NAO, said: "While depositors were queuing up outside branches to withdraw their money and the Treasury was pouring public money in to stabilise the Rock, the bank was still ploughing on with awarding mortgages of up to 125% of a property's value. | Edward Leigh MP, Conservative chairman of the public accounts committee, which oversees the NAO, said: "While depositors were queuing up outside branches to withdraw their money and the Treasury was pouring public money in to stabilise the Rock, the bank was still ploughing on with awarding mortgages of up to 125% of a property's value. |
| "Why didn't the Treasury demand an immediate stop to the reckless lending that got the bank into trouble in the first place?" | "Why didn't the Treasury demand an immediate stop to the reckless lending that got the bank into trouble in the first place?" |
| The bank awarded a total of £1.8bn in Together loans, which exposed the bank to swift losses if house prices fell, between September 2007 and February 2008. | The bank awarded a total of £1.8bn in Together loans, which exposed the bank to swift losses if house prices fell, between September 2007 and February 2008. |
| This amounted to 30% of all its mortgage lending at the time although the bank said £1bn of this extra lending had been agreed before September 2007. | This amounted to 30% of all its mortgage lending at the time although the bank said £1bn of this extra lending had been agreed before September 2007. |
| 'Potential shortcomings' | 'Potential shortcomings' |
| Though generally approving of the government's actions in rescuing the bank, the NAO criticises the Treasury for not having checked out the bank's finances with sufficient thoroughness before it decided to nationalise. | Though generally approving of the government's actions in rescuing the bank, the NAO criticises the Treasury for not having checked out the bank's finances with sufficient thoroughness before it decided to nationalise. |
| "In the lead up to public ownership, the Treasury did not commission its own due diligence on the company's operations, for example, on the quality of the loan book," the NAO said. | "In the lead up to public ownership, the Treasury did not commission its own due diligence on the company's operations, for example, on the quality of the loan book," the NAO said. |
| The NAO report reveals greater scrutiny would have uncovered a much higher level of mortgage arrears than the Rock had previously been admitting. ROCK MORTGAGE BREAK-DOWN 33% borrowed more than 100% of house value10% borrowed 95%-100% of house value7% borrowed 90-95% of house value Source: Northern Rock annual report | |
| The report is also critical of the lack of preparation by the Treasury. It said the Treasury had been aware of "potential shortcomings" in dealing with a failing bank as early as 2004. | The report is also critical of the lack of preparation by the Treasury. It said the Treasury had been aware of "potential shortcomings" in dealing with a failing bank as early as 2004. |
| However, it was "not judged by the Treasury to be a priority in a benign economic environment", the report says | However, it was "not judged by the Treasury to be a priority in a benign economic environment", the report says |
| Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Phillip Hammond said the NAO report was a "hard-hitting indictment" of the government's management of Northern Rock's nationalisation. | Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Phillip Hammond said the NAO report was a "hard-hitting indictment" of the government's management of Northern Rock's nationalisation. |
| "Despite dithering for months over the future of the bank, it now emerges there were major due diligence failures at the Treasury both before and after nationalisation - which have resulted in the bill for taxpayers being even bigger than was previously thought," he said. | "Despite dithering for months over the future of the bank, it now emerges there were major due diligence failures at the Treasury both before and after nationalisation - which have resulted in the bill for taxpayers being even bigger than was previously thought," he said. |
| A Treasury spokesman said the department would study the report and reply to the public accounts committee at the end of the month. | A Treasury spokesman said the department would study the report and reply to the public accounts committee at the end of the month. |
| "We note that overall the report finds that the Treasury was right to take the decisions it did to protect the interests of taxpayers and to promote stability in the financial system," he said. | "We note that overall the report finds that the Treasury was right to take the decisions it did to protect the interests of taxpayers and to promote stability in the financial system," he said. |
| The BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston said that the report was embarrassing for Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling as "a spotlight has been shone again on their misjudgements". | The BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston said that the report was embarrassing for Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling as "a spotlight has been shone again on their misjudgements". |
| "But we've known for many months that they were wrong on these very big issues," he said. | "But we've known for many months that they were wrong on these very big issues," he said. |
| Negative equity | Negative equity |
| Northern Rock, which had grown to become one of the UK's biggest mortgage lenders, had to be bailed out by the Bank of England in September 2007 when its funding from other banks dried up. | Northern Rock, which had grown to become one of the UK's biggest mortgage lenders, had to be bailed out by the Bank of England in September 2007 when its funding from other banks dried up. |
| It was subsequently nationalised "temporarily" by the government, as the international banking crisis deepened, and no viable private sector bidder came forward. | It was subsequently nationalised "temporarily" by the government, as the international banking crisis deepened, and no viable private sector bidder came forward. |
| One knock-on effect of its high-risk lending was a rapid increase in the bank's exposure to actual and potential losses. | One knock-on effect of its high-risk lending was a rapid increase in the bank's exposure to actual and potential losses. |
| Falling house prices throughout last year meant that by the end of December 2008, 33% of all Rock mortgages had fallen into negative equity - up from just 0.5% a year earlier. | Falling house prices throughout last year meant that by the end of December 2008, 33% of all Rock mortgages had fallen into negative equity - up from just 0.5% a year earlier. |
| Along with growing arrears among borrowers, this meant the bank needed a much higher financial cushion, so the Treasury had to give it a further £3bn in July 2008. | Along with growing arrears among borrowers, this meant the bank needed a much higher financial cushion, so the Treasury had to give it a further £3bn in July 2008. |
| Many commentators expect house prices to fall by at least another 10% this year, and quite probably by more. | Many commentators expect house prices to fall by at least another 10% this year, and quite probably by more. |
| Figures from the NAO show half of Northern Rock's mortgage loans will be in negative equity if that happens. | Figures from the NAO show half of Northern Rock's mortgage loans will be in negative equity if that happens. |
| Mainly as a result of its arrears, and losses on selling repossessed homes, Northern Rock recently announced a loss of £1.4bn for 2008. | Mainly as a result of its arrears, and losses on selling repossessed homes, Northern Rock recently announced a loss of £1.4bn for 2008. |