HC Deb 29 January 1988 vol 126 cc418-20W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the administrative costs of running the premium bond system in each of the last five years.

Mr. Lilley

The administrative costs of running the premium bond system were as follows:

Year to 31 March £ million
1983 26.0
1984 23.7
1985 21.9
1986 21.0
1987 20.2

Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many valid premium bonds there have been in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Mr. Lilley

The number of valid premium bonds—including those held by people abroad, which are not recorded separately—was as follows:

At 31 March Million
1983 1,586
1984 1,674
1985 1,768
1986 1,833
1987 1,916

Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much prize money for premium bonds was not claimed in each of the last five years.

Mr. Lilley

The prize money not claimed as at November 1987 for prize draws was as follows:

Prize draws in year to 31 March £
1983 511,000
1984 618,000
1985 808,000
1986 1,124,000
1987 1,637,000

Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was paid out in prize money for premium bonds in each of the last five years.

Mr. Lilley

Premium bond prizes — including unclaimed prizes not yet paid out—were as follows:

Year to 31 March £ million
1983 104.2
1984 110.2
1985 121.7
1986 135.0
1987 141.0

Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money the Treasury received from premium bonds, excluding prize money paid out and administrative costs, in the last five financial years.

Mr. Lilley

The total money received by the Treasury from premium bonds was as follows:

Year to 31 March Total net investment £ million
1983 80
1984 88
1985 94
1986 65
1987 83

These figures take no account of prize money paid out or administrative costs.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the United Kingdom owned premium bonds in each of the last five years.

Mr. Lilley

The number of premium bond holdings—ng holdings by people abroad, which are not recorded separately—was as follows:

At 31 March Million
1983 26.0
1984 24.8
1985 24.7
1986 24.6
1987 24.4