I am content that we will achieve the vision for the bank through the objects and, of course, the missions, which will be crucial. Section 2(2) sets out the ancillary objects, which cover the areas that you mention. They are:
“(a) investing in inclusive and sustainable economic growth,
(b) promoting and developing the activities of enterprises, where lack of financial investment is holding back economically viable commercial activity,
(c) promoting and developing the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises,
(d) creating and shaping markets through the provision of patient capital,”
and
“(e) contributing to the achievement of the Scottish Government’s economic policy objectives”,
which include not just boosting competitiveness but tackling inequality.
I think that the missions, which will be critical, will speak to those areas further, including the move to a low-carbon economy. We might come back to the formulation of the missions. I have some ideas about that that I would like to discuss with the committee, but I believe that the ambitions in the consultation and the implementation plan will feature in the missions.
I am looking at a chart of responsibility in a table on the bank’s governance. Right across the articles of association, the shareholder framework document, the missions, the investment strategy, the business plan and the ethical statement, we will want to direct the bank in a way that Parliament would want us to. Therefore, I do not think that there is any risk of the intentions being lost.