HC Deb 03 February 1948 vol 446 c255W
67. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state the particulars of agreements entered into by this country whereby governments of sterling area countries are entitled to a claim upon the gold reserves of this country.

Sir S. Cripps

The gold reserves in question are not reserves of this country alone but of all the countries in the sterling area. Apart from agreements with South Africa (Cmd. 7230) and Iraq (Cmd. 7201) the demands upon these reserves are not limited by formal agreement; we have a common understanding and interest in seeing that in present circumstances we all do our utmost to put in as much and to take out as little as possible.

8. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

[...] asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the limit beneath which gold and dollar reserves of this country will not be depleted to meet the requirements of sterling area countries.

Sir S. Cripps

No.

69. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that in future no allocation of gold, dollars or convertible sterling will be made to countries within or without the sterling area unless His Majesty's Government is satisfied that sterling debts owed to the country concerned have been scaled down sufficiently to represent a just settlement.

Sir S. Cripps

No.