§ Mr. RUNCIMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of Consols purchased in small denominations through the post offices in 1912, and the amount of War Loan purchased through the post offices, 1914 to 1924?
Mr. GUINNESSBefore the War it was only possible to purchase Stock through the Post Office if the applicant were a depositor in the Post Office Savings Bank. The total Stock purchased in 1912 was £2,991,260 10s. 3d., of which £2,064,167 15s. 7d. was Two-and-a-Half per Cent. Consols. In the years 1914 to 1924 the investment of Post Office depositors in Government Stock, other than War issues, amounted to £9,505,194 10s. 9d. But during the 10 years in question the great bulk of the investments were either new subscriptions to War Stock on the Post Office register (£220.365,996 5s. 7d.) or purchases of such Stock (£19,184,469 16s. 6d.). It is impossible to state what proportion of these investments were made by persons who were actually depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank.