The Treasury is drawing on similar banks operating in the US, Germany and Ireland as the model for a British version. Further down the road, the Treasury believes it could form the basis for a small national network and eventually be able to join forces with the private sector in joint projects. Business leaders welcomed the move but John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, urged the Prime Minister to use the planned government reshuffle to appoint a minister to speed the creation of the bank.