§ Mr. Carterasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the monthly reduction in the national debt in the period June 1969 to June 1970; and what has been the corresponding figure for each month since June 1970.
§ Mr. HigginsThe changes in the amount of national debt outstanding for each month in the period from June 1969 to October 1971 are as follows:
Debt outstanding at end of month Change in debt during month Month £m. £m. June, 1969 33,698 July, 1969 33,650 -48 August, 1969 33,799 +149 September, 1969 33,960 +161 October, 1969 34,018 +58 November, 1969 34,018 — December, 1969 34,440 +422 January, 1970 33,850 -590 February, 1970 33,211 -639 March, 1970 33,079 -132 April, 1970 32,853 -226 May, 1970 32,764 -89 June, 1970 32,888 +124 July, 1970 32,907 +19 August, 1970 32,859 -48 September, 1970 33,098 +239 October, 1970 33,186 +88 November, 1970 33,383 +197 December, 1970 33,896 +513 January, 1971 33,640 -256 February, 1971 33,514 -126 March, 1971 33,441 -73 April, 1971 33,438 -3 May, 1971 33,660 +222 June, 1971 34,093 +433 July, 1971 34,389 +296 August, 1971 34,458 +69 September, 1971 34,930 +472 October, 1971 35,289 +359 Note:
Apart from the amounts of debt outstanding at 31st March, 1970 and 1971, the above figures are derived from the cash transactions recorded in the monthly accounts of the National Loans Fund. Adjustments for other items are included in the figure of net change for the month of March each year.