BANK OF ENGLAND DEPUTY CANCELS HIGHLAND LECTURE

BANK OF ENGLAND DEPUTY CANCELS HIGHLAND LECTURE

The Deputy Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Economy Committee, SNP MSP Rob Gibson, says he is bemused to learn that the Deputy Governor, Charles Bean, has cancelled a lecture he was due to give in Inverness after the Holyrood committee expressed its displeasure that no-one from the central bank would attend their inquiry into the banking crisis.

Earlier this week Mr Gibson challenged the Bank to appear in front of Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee inquiry into the banking crisis after learning of Mr Bean’s appearance in Inverness. This followed the Bank’s latest snub this week who declared that they would not give evidence to the inquiry despite their Deputy Governor being due to deliver a lecture in Inverness at the University of the Highlands and Islands I Millennium Institute.

However Mr Gibson has learnt that the Bank’s Deputy Governor has since cancelled the engagement without explanation.

Commenting the Highlands and Islands Members said:

"I am bemused that the Mr Bean will not be in Inverness this month as I had planned to ask him in person why he or anyone else from the bank refuses to appear in front of the committee.

"I hope that that prospect hasn't influenced the decision of Mr Bean to pull out of the lecture.

“But again I would ask him why he or someone from the Bank does not feel the need appear in front of the Committee?

"Their information would be a vital strand in the overall inquiry which has already taken evidence from the BBC's Robert Peston, and will receive written from the Treasury as will addressed by the Financial Services Authority in due course."