The Dame Linda Dobbs Review
Dame Linda Dobbs DBE has been appointed by Lloyds Banking Group ("LBG") to consider whether the issues relating to HBOS Reading were investigated and appropriately reported to authorities at the time by LBG, following its acquisition of HBOS.
The independent legal assessment will cover the period following HBOS’s acquisition by LBG, in January 2009, through to the conclusion of criminal proceedings commenced against six individuals in connection with the HBOS Reading fraud. In addition, the Review will examine relevant evidence from before 2009 in order to assess what LBG knew or should reasonably have known about what happened at HBOS Reading by the time of the acquisition.
Dame Linda's appointment was announced by LBG on 26 April 2017. LBG's announcement is available here.
A message from Dame Linda Dobbs to Witnesses – Feb 2024
A significant period of time has elapsed since my last update to witnesses and those affected by the HBOS Reading affair, so I want to inform you of the progress of my Review in that time.
We have received and considered the evidence from a great number of witnesses and hundreds of thousands of documents. However, as evidence has been received, new questions and areas of enquiry have arisen.
In previous updates I have referred to the fact that the Dobbs Review is a non-statutory inquiry meaning that I do not have powers to compel witnesses to give evidence. I have to rely, therefore, on both their willingness and availability to give evidence to the Review. The result is that progress has been slowed by awaiting the availability of witnesses and by delays in receiving their evidence or relevant documentation.
This means that we have not yet received all of the evidence necessary to fulfil my commitment to ‘leave no stone unturned.’ I now expect to complete the final witness interviews in the first half of this year. There are additional uncertainties, also beyond our control, that may yet affect timing. We have recently received important additional documentation that is of substantial relevance to the Review, and I cannot rule out the possibility that we may yet still receive further material.
When we have finished taking evidence, there will still be a significant amount of work required to draw all the evidence together and reach my conclusions before I submit the Report to Lloyds Banking Group.
This Review is a complex exercise. My Report will include a full explanation of our approach, the challenges, and the efforts made to ensure that progress is as efficient but as thorough as possible.
My team and I are doing all we can to conclude the Report as quickly as we can, consistent with a thorough and comprehensive approach to fulfil the promise I made at the start of the Review.
Dame Linda Dobbs
Scope of the Review
Dame Linda will assess whether, between 19 January 2009 and 30 January 2017, information about issues relating to HBOS Reading which LBG knew, or should have known about through reasonable diligence, was properly investigated and appropriately reported to the relevant authorities. As part of this assessment, the Review will examine relevant evidence from before 2009 in order to assess what LBG knew or should reasonably have known about what happened at HBOS Reading by the time of the acquisition.
Further detail as to the Scope of the Review is available here.
Guide to the Review
To view a copy of the guide, click here.
Contact the Review
The Review welcomes comment and submissions from interested parties. Evidence or information relevant to the inquiry should be submitted directly via email to info@dobbsreview.com.
A copy of Dame Linda's announcement inviting submissions is available here.
Announcements
A message from Dame Linda Dobbs to Witnesses - May 2022 and previous messages can be found here.
NDAs and Confidentiality Agreements
LBG’s clear position is that anyone with relevant information can provide it to the Review. The confirmation letter is available here.
About Dame Linda Dobbs
Dame Linda was the first non-white High Court judge to be appointed in the UK and before that she was a leading barrister and QC, specializing in fraud and white collar crime cases. Her professional biography is available here.
Media enquiries
All media enquiries concerning the Review should be addressed to:
Peter Wilson-Smith +44 (0)20 7043 4604 or +44 (0)7979 526152
pws@meritusconsultants.com
Jimmy Chen +44 (0)20 7043 4606 or +44 (0)7787 492922
jchen@meritusconsultants.com