48. Mr. H. D. Hughesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of currency made available for expenditure by British travellers for commercial and non-commercial purposes, respectively, since the introduction of the basic travel ration and in any recent period.
§ Mr. DaltonAbout £8 and £11 million, respectively, in foreign exchange in the year ending October, 1946, and about £5 and £7½ million in the following six months.
Mr. HughesCan the Chancellor say how much of this was available for expenditure in hard currencies?
§ Mr. DaltonNone of this is necessary in regard to the sterling areas, which were excluded from the beginning. The greater part would be in what we customarily call hard currency areas.