Commenting on the figures from the ONS showing that investment by British businesses was 24.1% lower at the end of 2009 than at the start, the worst decline since records began, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso said: "This dramatic slump in business investment bodes ill for economic recovery.
"Banks are failing to meet their lending commitments, starving businesses of capital needed for investment.
"The Government needs to get a grip and make sure the banks' lending agreements are more concrete and better policed so that recovery doesn't peter out."
