CITIZEN'S CHARGE ON BANK BONUSES AND DIVIDENDS

That this House notes that almost every bank based in the United Kingdom required liquidity and other support from the British authorities in 2008 and, in addition, a number required public ownership or capital support; further notes the public concern about the contrast between this welfare dependency of the British financial sector and the recent return to big bonus payouts; calls on the Government to introduce a citizen's charge or people's dividend on the growth of the bonus pools and dividend payouts in the institutions that receive public support; and believes that this citizen's charge should start in the 2009-10 financial year.