HC Deb 24 July 1974 vol 877 cc502-3W
Mr. Loyden

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of British capital invested abroad in the years 1960, 1968, 1973, and in the first six months of 1974.

Dr. Gilbert

The available figures are as follows:

latest estimates, given in the June 1974 issue of the Bulletin, show:

End–1973
(£ million)
United Kingdom liabilities
Total overseas direct, portfolio, oil and other investment in United Kingdom private sector 10,405
Total United Kingdom public sector borrowing, other than official financing 5,285
15,690

United Kingdom assets
Total United Kingdom private sector direct, portfolio and oil investment abroad 19,725
Total public sector lending 1,790
21,515

I regret that these estimates cannot be adjusted to allow for inflation, and a comprehensive geographic analysis is not available. However, area detail of inter-Government loans is given in the "Pink Book" and an analysis by country of the origin and destination of overseas direct investments, expressed at book values for end-1971, was published in "Trade and Industry" on 15th November 1973.