§ LOED BEAVERBROOKMy Lords, I beg to ask the third question standing in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ In Cmd. 6707 it is stated that the quick external liabilities of the United Kingdom on August 31, 1938, amounted to £760 millions; to ask His Majesty's Government, what portion of that total represented balances of the sterling area countries.]
LORD PAKENHAMThe answer is something of the order of £400–£450 millions. We did not before the war have the comprehensive returns that we have now and only an approximate estimate is possible.