§ 50. Mr. E. BROWNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of War Debt held, respectively, by the Bank of England, other British banks, British public companies, charitable endowments, educational organisations, trade unions, friendly societies and trustees of all kinds?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. BROWNIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that unofficial statements as to this question are constantly appearing in statistical journals and in view of the supreme importance of the question is it not necessary that we should have precise information in order to discuss it accurately?
§ Mr. SNOWDENPrecise information, no doubt, would be very valuable, but I have told the hon. Member that it is quite impossible for us to get that precise information.
Sir F. HALLWould it be of any use to supply part of the information? Is it not a ridiculous proposal?
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill it be part of the duty of the Committee at present investigating the National Debt to ascertain this information as far as possible?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI should think they would pursue their investigations in that direction.
§ Mr. BROWNIs there not in the country, in connection with discussions oh the question of War Debt, a general impression or assumption that this War Debt is held by very few people, and is it not of supreme importance that the information should be ascertained?
§ 51. Mr. BROWNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals hold War Loan stock, War Savings certificates, or other War Debt in this country, and the total amount held by private persons?
§ Mr. SNOWDENNo reliable figure can be given. The hon. Member will realise that a stockholder may hold stock on more than one account, and that conversely an account may be in the names of more than one holder. The number of stock accounts is about 6,000,000, and the total number of persons holding British Government securities has been unofficially estimated to be as high as 17,000,000.
§ 52. Mr. BROWNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the holdings of British War Debt, respectively, by the Government of the United States, the Governments of the British Dominions and Colonies, Allied and other foreign Governments, and by private investors in such countries both foreign and Colonial?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Birkenhead East (Mr. Graham White) on the 14th February last.