MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will inform the House what is the present amount of the cash balances of the Indian Government, and in what proportions they are held in its Home Treasury in sterling and in India in rupees; if he will state how much of the balances held in India in rupees is in the Indian Government's own treasuries, and how much is out on deposit in the Presidency Banks; and whether he can give the sum now advanced on the money market from the Indian Government's Home Treasury?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingOn January 31 the cash balances in India amounted to Rx. 11,400,000. The cash balance of the Home Treasury this morning was £2,099,462. It cannot at present be stated with accuracy how the balances in India on January 31 were divided between the Government's own treasuries and those of the Presidency banks. The Government deposits in the latter during the last week of January seem, however, to have amounted to about Rx.2,890,000, and the remainder, which would be about Rx.8,510,000, must have been distributed over Government Treasuries, which are very numerous. The amount now out at short dates on loan from the Home Treasury is £1,550,000.