§ 29. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will lay a White Paper setting forth the origins, extent and particulars of the National Debt, and the functions of the National Debt Office.
§ Mr. BarberNo, Sir. My hon. Friend will find that information on these subjects is available in existing publications.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. May I ask him whether the story is incorrect that, when Professor C. Northcote Parkinson approached the Treasury for information about the National Debt, which is of prime concern to all British taxpayers, it was unable to trace the owners of some £15,000 million of the National Debt? Has the Treasury been able to trace them since?
§ Mr. BarberThat is a somewhat specific question arising out of the rather general one which appeared on the Order Paper. I will look into the point, but if my hon. Friend would like to pursue the matters which he has raised in his Question, I would be happy to send him a select bibliography.