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<p>The Government has taken significant action to increase bank lending to businesses
throughout the UK, including through the Funding for Lending Scheme, and through supporting
non-bank lending channels via the British Business Bank.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The
Government is also implementing further major reforms to boost competition in the
small and medium sized enterprise (SME) lending market through the Small Business,
Enterprise and Employment Bill; most notably the measures to improve access to SME
credit information and to match SMEs rejected for finance with challenger banks and
alternative finance providers that are looking to offer finance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Furthermore, in Autumn 2013 a joint United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Ministerial
Task Force was set up to look at ways to promote lending and increase support specifically
for businesses in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p>
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