HC Deb 08 December 1927 vol 211 cc1593-4W
Mr. SPOOR

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, although

National Debt, 31st March, 1927.
Currency. Debt.
Amount. Per head.
(1) U.K. … … £ 7,622,900,000 168.5
(2) France … … Paper France Internal 293,647,000,000 7,207.1
External 182,784,000,000 4,486.2
Total 476,431,000,000 11,693.2
(3) Germany … … Reichmarks (exclusive of debt for reparation). 4,351,200,000 68.8
(4) U.S.A. … … Dollars 18,726,760,000 160.6
(1) The figures for the United Kingdom include external debts payable in United States dollars amounting to $4,662,727,800, converted into sterling at par of exchange.
(2) The figures for the external debt of France represent the equivalent in paper francs, at the current rate of exchange, of the various obligations of France in foreign currencies, including the war debts to this country and to the United States, at their nominal amounts.
(3) The figures for Germany represent the amount of the public debt of the German Reich, but do not include either the debt of Germany for reparations or the debts of the separate German States.
(4) The figures for the United States represent the debt of the Federal Government and do not include the debts of the several states of the Union.
It should be borne in mind that, apart from the qualifications referred to in the above notes, the nominal totals of public debts afford no measure of their real burden and any comparison between the various figures of the debts per head, taken by themselves, would be misleading.

at one time an alien could not be elected to be a member of a borough or county council because candidates were confined to those whose names were on the register of electors, recent alterations in the law enable a person possessing 12 months' residence in the area to sit on a local authority; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation to enable aliens in certain circumstances to sit on a local authority?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

I am doubtful if the hon. Member is right in the first part of his question, but I certainly do not propose to remove any disqualification in this respect applicable to aliens.