Mr. Michael Torpey:

It would have been during my time, Deputy. The decision in relation to the ... any particular credit, and I am not going to talk about anyone in particular, was a matter which occurred as between the competent functions in the Ulster Bank Group. So when a credit application came to the appropriate part of the business, that credit application was considered and developed in whatever way they do it, and went to the appropriate credit decisioning authority to make a decision. And where credits were of a certain size that fell within discretion within Ulster Bank; where they were of a larger size they went to credit committees at RBS Group. I think I mentioned in my opening statement the integrated nature of the group and such that there was a very high level of control by RBS Group in such matters.

As the finance director in Ulster Bank, I had no part to play in these matters. I would have no knowledge of the customers, of the particular credit applications or the credit decisions and, you know, to the extent that it's a follow-on from your earlier question, I would have no reason to believe that any such decisions in relation to any customers of the bank were taken on anything other than commercial ... a commercial basis.