§ Mr. Robert Howarthasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement regarding the 50-new penny piece.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsYes, I have advised Her Majesty The Queen to make a Royal Proclamation under Section 11 of the Coinage Act, 1870 and Section 2 (4) of the Decimal Currency Act, 1967, authorising the issue of a 50 new penny piece.
482WIt will be issued from 14th October, 1969 for use as 10s.
With the approval of Her Majesty the designs for the new coin will be published today and I have asked Mr. Speaker to accept an example for exhibition in the Library. The House will observe that Britannia makes a re-appearance on the coinage.
From 1972 the Government also intend to issue an alternative version of the 2 new penny piece bearing a reverse design representative of Northern Ireland. This coin will be additional to the 2 new penny piece which was announced last February and which bears on its reverse the Badge of The Prince of Wales.