HC Deb 31 March 1953 vol 513 cc135-6W
Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give the surplus of receipts of dollars by the Colonies over payments of imports from the dollar areas in the years 1946 to 1952.

Mr. Maudling

The transactions of the principal colonial areas with the dollar area from 1948 to 1951 are shown at paragraph 255 of Cmd. 8243 and paragraph 260 of Cmd. 8553. Figures for 1946 and 1947 have not been prepared on the same basis, but the net surplus of the dependent overseas territories, including British Protected States, is given for these years at page 22 of Cmd. 8201. The 1952 figures will be published in the 1952-53 Report on the Colonial Territories in June.

Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give the sterling balances for each year from 1945 to 1952 with the Colonial areas.

Mr. Maudling

Figures of the sterling assets of the Colonies from 1946 to 1951, classified by principal holders, are given in paragraph 411 of Cmd. 7167, paragraphs 425–426 of Cmd. 7433, paragraph 504 of Cmd. 8243 and paragraph 520 of Cmd. 8553. The 1946 total includes the sterling assets of Ceylon and Palestine, without which the totals at the end of 1945 and 1946 were £530 million and £585 million respectively. The figures for the end of 1952 will be published in the 1952-53 Report on the Colonial Territories in June.