Written Question·Department for Business and Trade·UIN 15142

Small Businesses: Finance

Tabled: 1 July 2026

Answered: 10 July 2026

Question

Sarah Pochin

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Answer

Blair McDougall

The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets Report 2026 found that around half of SMEs used external finance in 2025. SME lending increased between 2024 and 2025 – reaching £68 billion in nominal terms – but remains below pre-pandemic level...

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