HC Deb 20 July 1950 vol 477 c2476
57. Sir Richard Acland

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now make a statement showing what contribution each of our Colonies makes to the gold and dollar reserves of the sterling area.

Mr. Gaitskell

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) on 18th July.

Sir R. Acland

Did he, in that reply, give the dollar balances earned or lost by the different Colonies?

Mr. Gaitskell

No, Sir. He indicated that, in the next Balance of Payments White Paper, he would give the figures of the net gold and dollar balances of the Colonies as a whole, but that there were technical difficulties about giving them for separate Colonies.

Mr. Keeling

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain how the Chancellor could give the total figures for the Colonies' contributions to the dollar reserve, as he did on Wednesday week, unless he knew the figures for each Colony?

Mr. Gaitskell

Some of the figures available were for groups of Colonies taken together.