§ Mr. Harold Leverasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his recent decision to remove restrictions on collect ing, dealing in and importing, modern gold coins and medals, including the sovereign, means that these can be acquired by United Kingdom residents without limit from United Kingdom sources or imported from abroad; what is the estimated cost in foreign exchange of this decision; and what steps he has taken to ensure that, should the cost substantially exceed this estimate, appropriate action will be taken.
204W
SAVING AND INVESTMENT AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT FACTOR COST United Kingdom Sweden† Denmark Japan United States of America Gross saving* Total fixed investment Gross saving* Total fixed investment Gross saving* Total fixed investment Gross saving* Total fixed investment Gross saving* Total fixed investment 1960 … 19.5 18.0 27.0 24.7 24.5 22.0 37.3 33.0 19.8 18.4‡ 1961 … 20.2 18.9 27.8 25.4 22.8 23.2 42.1 36.3 18.9 17.8‡ 1962 … 19.1 18.5 26.9 25.7 22.4 23.6 38.8 36.6 19.8 18.2‡ 1963 … 19.2 18.0 26.6 26.3 22.9 22.7 37.5 34.9 19.9 18.3‡ 1964 … 20.8 19.9 28.2 26.5 24.1 25.1 38.5 35.1 20.5 18.5‡ 1965 … 21.1 20.1 27.7 26.5 25.1 24.8 36.8 33.1 21.3 18.9‡ 1966 … 21.2 20.2 27.3 27.2 23.2 24.7 37.7 33.3 20.9 18.7‡ 1967 … 20.5 20.7 26.9 27.5 22.1 25.3 40.2 34.7 19.4 18.1‡ 1968 … 21.1 21.3 25.7 27.1 22.0 24.2 41.9 36.1 19.6 18.2‡ 1969 … 22.7 20.5 ֵ ֵ 23.3 26.1 43.6 37.7 19.8 18.3‡ 1970 … 23.0 20.4 ֵ ֵ ֵ ֵ ֵ ֵ ֵ ֵ * After deducting stock appreciation. † Figures are taken from the 1969 OECD return. ‡Excludes government expenditure on machinery and equipment.
§ Mr. HigginsThe foreign exchange cost will depend on a number of variables but I do not believe continuance of these restrictions was hustified.