§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for each year from 1977, how many submissions of suspect gold, silver and cupro-nickel coins were made to establish whether they were counterfeit or not; what was the result of the examinaions; what were the metals used 328W in the counterfeit pieces; and the result of the examinations; what were the metals used in the counterfeit pieces; and for each year how many prosecutions took place under the Coinage Offences Act 1936.
§ Mr. Peter ReesI regret that this information cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.
§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current estimates of coin in circulation by denomination in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe following is the information:
As at end May 1981 million 50p 622 10p 2099 5p 1955 2p 2284 1P 3350 ½p 2482
§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the special report on the data, dates and numbers of coins struck in respect of coins and medals is to be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
§ Mr. Peter ReesIt is providing more difficult than expected to extract all the information and obtain permission to publish figures from the individual countries for whom the Royal Mint strikes coins. However, work is well in hand and it is expected that the data for 1976–77 will be ready for publication in September.