Nicky Morgan MP (pictured), chair of the committee, has written to both bodies to urge them to review evidence collected by the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign.
The issue was raised with Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, when he appeared before the committee last month. Bailey had admitted he was aware of the accusations.
The campaign, which is being supported by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking, noted that exposure of signature forgery had led to huge fines in both the US and Australia.
Its founder, Julian Watts, claims to have evidence demonstrating that banks in the UK have been forging signatures on court documents and loan agreements, which may have led to those lenders repossessing the properties in question.
The APPG noted that signatures on statements of truth on court documents are a “foundational aspect of the UK justice system” and should not be “subservient to process that ‘speed up’ the repossession of property by financial institutions”.
In a statement, the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign said that a public inquiry would “enable evidence of bank signature forgery sent in by the public to be heard in public. It will give victims a voice and opportunity to be heard. It will encourage other victims and whistleblowers to come forward.”
