Government sells £500m of Lloyds shares

The six month trading plan, which has run from 17 December 2014, will end by 30 June 2015.

The total raised through the trading plan has now eclipsed £1bn.

Chancellor George Osborne said: “These sales are part of our plan to return Lloyds to the private sector and get taxpayers’ money back. The proceeds will be used to reduce the national debt.

The government’s plan is being administered by investment bank Morgan Stanley.