§ 68. Mr. SILVERMANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount borrowed for War expenditure during the years 1914 to 1918; how much of the loan remains unpaid; and what is now the yearly amount required for interest on the outstanding debt?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is not possible to isolate the figures for War debt, but full particulars of the annual changes in the National Debt since 1914, together with the cost of interest on the outstanding debt in the year ended 31st March, 1935, will be found in the current National Debt Return (Command Paper No. 4996). I would, however, remind the hon. Member that, for reasons which have frequently been explained to Parliament, a comparison of nominal 610 totals of dead-weight debt at different times is apt to be misleading.
§ Mr. SILVERMANIs the right hon. Gentleman unable to say what was the grand total of the War Loan?
§ Mr. SILVERMANDid not the right hon. Gentleman mean to convey that it was impossible to isolate the War Loan from the general National Debt?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINYes, that is correct. It is not possible to isolate the debt which is attributable solely to the War.