§ Mr Atkinsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Great Britain's currency reserves is held by the major official holders of sterling; and if he will list the principal countries involved, together with the amounts.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonExchange reserves held in sterling by central monetary580W institutions total £4,016 million at end-March this year, the latest date for which published information is available. Within this total, oil-exporting countries accounted for £2,622 million, 65 per cent.; details of individual country holdings cannot, however, be made available. With conversion largely at end-March 1976 exchange rates, the official reserves of the United Kingdom at end-March 1976 totalled the equivalent of £3,088 million, 77 per cent. of the total of official holdings of sterling at that date.