In these meetings, I heard directly about the need for banks to be lending more to small businesses.

"Banks are lending money, but not enough, particularly to fast growing businesses," he said.

He also suggested that state banks should lend more money to consumers and small businesses.

In days of old they made their money by lending to businesses and consumers at interest.

There are far more lucrative ways for them to make money than to lend to small businesses.

These investors would then be able to lend the money to businesses for investment in new plants and equipment.

The government wants banking to be safe and the banks to lend to businesses.

Much of my time as a community banker was spent lending to small businesses.

Banks must do their job properly and provide the right amount of lending to small businesses.

But lending directly to private businesses may not be the best way to help them.