HL Deb 15 April 1993 vol 544 cc94-5WA
The Marquess of Ailesbury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they can estimate the number of forged £50 notes in circulation.

The Minister of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)

It is not possible to estimate how many counterfeit £50 notes might be circulating. The number of counterfeit notes of all denominations received by the Bank of England leads it to believe that they represent only a very small fraction of 1 per cent. of the total number of notes in circulation. The Bank, in common with most other note issuing authorities, does not publish details of the number and types of counterfeit notes it receives.