The financial crisis had a major impact on the shape of the banking sector. There had been widespread consolidation among banks and building societies. Concerns had been raised that competition in the sector is not working, with investigations by the Office of Fair Trading into unauthorised overdraft charges and equity underwriting. The Government had also appointed an Independent Commission on Banking.
This major inquiry into Competition and choice in the retail banking sector built on work done by the Committee in the previous Parliament on the banking crisis, the structure of the banking industry, and consumer issues.