§ MR. BUCHANANTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present amount of the unfunded debt, specifying the amount of Treasury Bills and Exchequer Bonds outstanding, the rate of interest and period for which these securities have been renewed.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberlain.) There are £21,000,000 Exchequer Bonds outstanding, bearing 3 per cent. interest, of which £7,000,000 fall due next August, and the remainder in December, 1905. There are £21,133,000 Treasury Bills outstanding, of which £16,633,000 are twelve months' Bills bearing interest that varies from £3 4s. 4d. to £3 15s. 10d. per cent.; £4,000,000 are six months' Bills bearing interest that varies, from £3 4s. 2d. to £3 15s. l0d. per cent., and £500,000 are three months Bills bearing interest at £4 2s. 3d. per cent. These Bills are exclusive of any Ways and Means Advances raised by Treasury Bills, which are necessarily paid off before the end of the financial year.