DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST

Northern Irish personal banking

The group of members carrying out this inquiry (the Group) are considering the appointment of one or more banking expert(s) to advise the Group and staff team. The work is likely to include advising on aspects of the banking industry such as profitability, switching and entry, and commenting on papers prepared by staff. They would not have a role in decision making.

The two candidates currently being considered are Alastair Dempster, who has retired from a career in banking and Jayne Almond, a member of the CC, who until recently worked in banking. It is possible that we would appoint both candidates as we consider their expertise to be complementary.

Alastair Dempster was employed by the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1955 to 1986, his last position being Assistant General Manager. He joined Lloyds TSB in 1986 and his last position was as Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland plc. He was also President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland.

Alastair Dempster holds shares worth less than £5,000 in the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. He has a significant number of shares in the Lloyds TSB Group, but Lloyds TSB is not an active provider of personal current accounts in Northern Ireland.

Jayne Almond ran Barclays mortgage business, which includes Woolwich, from October 2003 until October 2004. She sat on the Board of Barclays UK Bank until October 2004; this included Barclays UK retail banking business. She was an Executive Director of Barclays Personal Financial services until the end of 2003. She has also worked for Lloyds TSB.

Jayne Almond holds shares worth less than £50,000 in Barclays plc. She also holds shares worth less than £20,000 in Lloyds TSB which is not an active provider of current personal accounts in Northern Ireland.

As Jayne Almond is a member of the CC the Group would consult her under paragraph 18 of Schedule 7 to the Competition Act 1998.

The CC believes that neither the previous employment of Alastair Dempster nor Jayne Almond would compromise their ability to provide independent and impartial advice to the Group and staff team. If you are aware of any reason why the appointment of either of them would give rise to any actual or potential conflict of interest please contact the CC immediately, with details of the actual or potential conflict of interest in question. In any case, if you wish to reply, please do so on or before Tuesday 15 November.

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