HC Deb 17 March 1938 vol 333 cc610-2W
Sir R. Glyn

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the total aggregate liability of the National Debt for the United Kingdom and of the British Crown Colonies, each separately; and what does this represent per head of the population in each case and, as far as the United Kingdom figures are concerned, how do they compare with the net liabilities of the United States, France, Germany, and Holland?

Lieut.-Colonel Colville

The nominal total of the National Debt on 31st March, 1937, was £7,797,229,544 which amount, if divided by the estimated figure of the population (47,085,000 in 1936), gives £165 12s. per head.

The above figure for the National Debt in accordance with custom is that stated on page 78 of the Finance Accounts. It does not cover other capital liabilities, contingent or nominal liabilities, or guaranteed loans; on the other hand it does not take credit for estimated assets or for debts due from Allies, etc. Information as to all these items will be

Territory. Public Debt (less value of Sinking Funds). Population. Public Debt per head of population.
East Africa: £ £ s. d.
Kenya … 15,841,940 3,261,522 4 17 2
Uganda … 2,195,427 3,686,695 11 11
Northern Rhodesia … 2,322,765 1,377,959 1 13 8
Nyasaland … 5,073,548 1,622,926 3 2 6
Somaliland … 236,000 347,383 13 7
South Africa High Commission Territories:
Swaziland … 33,173 (a) 156,715 4 3
West Africa:
Gambia … 35,730 190,739 3 9
Gold Coast … 9,926,388 (a) 3,264,697 3 0 10
Nigeria … 21,870,484 (a) 19,370,597 1 2 7
Sierra Leone … 1,243,658 1,920,000 12 11
Eastern:
Ceylon … 8,002,501 (b) 5,678,000 1 8 2
Hong Kong … 1,078,380 988,190 1 1 10
Straits Settlements … 4,214,083 1,198,557 3 10 4
Federated Malay Straits … 7,462,222 1,847,951 4 0 9
North Borneo … 1,346,102 290,526 4 12 8
Mauritius … 1,042,649 399,878 2 12 2
Mediterranean:
Cyprus … 597,893 369,091 1 12 5
Malta … 79,081 (c) 262,165 6 0
West Indies and America:
Bahamas … 145,013 66,219 2 3 10
Barbados … 388,302 (a) 188,294 2 1 3
Bermuda … 27,917 30,552 18 3
British Guiana … 4,089,302 332,898 12 5 8
British Honduras … 557,879 56,071 9 19 0
Jamaica … 4,006,793 1,138,558 3 10 5
Turks and Caicos Islands … 1,799 5,300 6 9
Cayman Islands … 3,660 6,700 10 11
Leeward Islands:
Antiqua and Barbuda … 43,003 34,230 1 5 1
Dominica … 183,073 48,280 3 15 10
Montserrat … 8,888 13,630 13 0
St. Kitts-Nevis and Anguilla … 27,806 37,454 14 10
Trinidad and Tobago … 4,154,477 448,253 9 5 4
Windward Islands:
Grenada and Carriacon … 377,523 87,105 4 6 8
St. Lucia … 101,897 66,230 1 10 9
St. Vincent and Grenadines … 81,492 56,511 1 8 10
Western Pacific:
Fiji … 1,141,164 198,379 5 15 0
(a) As at 31st March, 1937.
(b) As at 30th September, 1936.
(c) As at 31st March, 1936.

found on pages 78 to 90 of the Finance Accounts.

The following table shows the public debt of Colonies having such debt as at 31st December, 1936 (excluding loans from the Colonial Development Fund).

I regret that owing to various differences of treatment (e.g. in the matter of war debts) comparable figures of the net liabilities of the foreign countries named cannot be given.