§ Mr. Skeetasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of interest paid on servicing the National Debt is paid to foreign lenders.
§ Mr. DellIt is not possible to give a precise answer, because no details of overseas holdings of British Government securities and Treasury bills are available. During 1974–75, however, the interest on identified holdings of this kind, together with foreign currency debt, probably amounted to under 10 per cent. of the total interest paid on the national debt.
§ Mr. Mayhewasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the interest on the National Debt was paid, in the past year for which figures are available (a) to overseas investors, (b) to gross funds, such as pension funds and (c) to investors liable to United Kingdom taxation on such interest.