How can we persuade them to lend us more?

"There is a persistent weakness in bank lending. Part of the weakness is due to a lack of demand but there is also serious constraint in supply. Viable companies, particularly small companies, are not getting sufficient access to finance.

"There should be a reduction in the rate that the Bank pays banks for keeping money at the central bank. The QE programme has done good things but this is one area where it hasn't done what it was designed to do. There is a blockage in the system and it has to be unblocked."

Angela Knight, British Bankers' Association:

"UK banks are still lending and are working to fill the gap left where specialist lenders and overseas banks have withdrawn from the market.

"Mortgages rates are historically low and there are good deals on the high street for customers with a sound credit history and money for a deposit.

"However, more stringent rules requiring banks to hold additional capital restrict the amount banks can lend. Even so, people don't want to take on new bank borrowing just now."

Howard Archer, IHS Global Insight:

"The Bank should take further action: be it through more quantitative easing, through cutting the interest rate that the central bank pays on commercial banks' reserves, or a combination of the two.

"Even allowing for the likelihood that quantitative easing will take time to fully impact and the fact that muted demand for finance from companies is a significant factor, bank lending remains worryingly low and a serious threat to economic activity over both the short and the medium term."

Stephen Alambritis, Federation of Small Businesses

Ignore what Angela Knight and the BBA say. Make them disclose how much they are lending and what type and size of business, then we'll get a truer picture. Then we should get the four big banks to lend more by bringing in more competition. We should be making it easier for foreign banks who are already in the City to become clearing banks for businesses here, bring in tax breaks for friends and family to lend and encourage alternative lenders like the Essex council's scheme to offer loans to local businesses.