§ 4.34 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, what have been the amounts of Premium Bonds offered for sale in India and in Cyprus in 1943, and in Palestine in September, 1944, and what amounts have been taken up in each case.]
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, in reply to the question addressed to the Government by my noble friend opposite, I have been asked to say that no limit has been fixed to the amount which the Government of India are prepared to receive as subscriptions to their Prize Bond issue. The amount actually subscribed by the public, up to the end of October, was 308 lakhs of rupees, which amounts to £2,310,000. The Premium Bonds offered for sale in Cyprus in 1943 were all taken up in that year, and 500,000 was subscribed. Another issue, in September, 1944, also of £500,000, was fully taken up within a week of issue. In Palestine, Premium Bonds to the amount of £1,000,000 were offered for sale, and £350,820 has already been subscribed.