§ Mr. O'CONNORasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that the recent additions to the gold holding of the Bank of England have created an erroneous impression in the United States of America as to the gold resources at the disposal of the Government; and whether, with a view to correcting this impression, he will arrange in future for a weekly statement to be issued showing the amount of gold which is held in the Issue Department of the Bank of England on behalf of the Exchange Equalisation Fund?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:My attention had not been drawn to the circumstances mentioned in the first part of the question, but I have in fact made it clear in a recent answer that the acquisitions of gold were connected with the temporary inflow into this market of foreign funds which may be withdrawn at any time. In reply to the second part of the question, gold shown in the weekly returns of the Bank of England is held by the Issue Department as its own property. I cannot undertake to publish particulars of the holdings of the Exchange Equalisation Account.