<p>The chancellor Alistair Darling has used today’s (November 24) pre-budget report to reiterate the government’s determination to help potential home buyers access mortgages, saying that it would work up a detailed scheme to boost lending by next Spring in line with the principal recommendation of today’s Crosby report. <br></p><p> </p> <br><p></p> <br><p>The scheme would involve government supporting the mortgage market by providing, for a temporary period, guarantees for securities backed by new mortgages. To implement this recommendation, he said, the government would need to obtain State Aid approval from the European Commission. “But we will proceed to work up a detailed scheme based on his recommendations and seek State Aid approval to proceed. I will report back by the Budget," he said. <br></p><p> </p> <br><p></p> <br><p>The chancellor said he is setting up a new body called the Lending Panel which will monitor lending to both business and households. It will bring together the government, lenders, trade bodies, consumer groups, regulators and the Bank of England to monitor lending levels and practices by banks. <br></p><p> </p> <br><p></p> <br><p>As part of a programme to accelerate capital spending the chancellor said he was bringing forward £775 million this year and next to invest …