MPs to vote on loan to Ireland

Britain's bilateral emergency loan to Ireland is expected to go to a parliamentary vote next week, British finance minister George…

Britain's bilateral emergency loan to Ireland is expected to go to a parliamentary vote next week, British finance minister George Osborne has said.

Britain has offered Ireland a loan of £3.25 billion as part of its £7 billion contribution to an international bailout for the struggling euro zone country.

Mr Osborne told lawmakers the bilateral loan's legislation, which he would publish tomorrow would include a cap on the loan that could only be raised in future with parliamentary approval.

"That would have to be done with the affirmative vote of the House of Commons and I'm certainly not expecting to exercise that," Mr Osborne said.

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"It has also got a sunset clause in it which cannot be renewed, which means the bill will fall after five years."

Ireland is a major trading partner for Britain, which is a member of the EU but not the euro zone.

Reuters