Mr. PRICEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what countries are at present off the Gold Standard and what is the value of the pound sterling in those countries; and whether the Government 273W will convene an international conference to fix an international standard of exchange?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe only countries which remain on the Gold Standard and in which the currency authority freely buys and sells gold at a fixed price and the export of gold is unrestricted, are the United States of America, France, Belgium, Holland, South Africa, Switzerland, Danzig, Lithuania and Poland. There is a number of other countries which have not departed from the Gold Standard but which maintain their currencies by means of exchange restrictions. The value of the pound sterling in foreign countries is quoted daily in the Press. I do not think that an International Monetary Conference could hope to achieve practical results at the present time, but the Government will continue to watch the situation.