British Business Bank: Investment
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has set a quantitative target for annual increases in private capital crowd-in by the British Business Bank over the next five years.
Answered by Blair McDougall
No. Setting a quantitative target for annual increases in private capital crowd-in by the British Business Bank could incentivise a shift towards less risky investments, which are more likely to attract private capital. This would be contrary to the Bank’s purpose of addressing market gaps and under-served regions and entrepreneurs.
The amount of private capital crowded-in is reported in the Bank’s Impact Report, published annually. The most recent report shows that in the year to 3 March 2025 the Bank deployed £1.2 billion of public finance and crowded-in a further £3.0 billion, a ratio of 2.5 to one.
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